PW_1_2022

Professional Development

Gimborn Street Survival Training 2021 Andy Marshall , Bedfordshire Branch

PD Swoop learning some Defensive Tactics at Gimborn

Active Attack Training in Castle Gimborn

I had seen articles about IBZ Gimborn and it was on my “Things to think about” list. However, when Chris Duncombe emailed members about cancellations opening up space on his Street Survival course, I enquired. Chris sold me on the course and I signed up online. The team at Gimborn were really helpful, making booking flights and arranging Covid documentation easy.

Training in the castle grounds

Point Shooting

Back in uniform for presentations

The Explosive Self Defence System

A t Cologne airport we were collected by the Shuttle from Gimborn. We had a brief diversion to the railway station to collect a US Federal Agent, who had won a scholarship to attend. At Gimborn we were given our room keys and settled in, before being given a brief tour of the site, and heading out for a walk around that finished at the castle bar. We had attendees from Germany, UK, USA, Denmark and Kenya and it was a relaxed, informal setting to meet everyone. I’m not into martial arts and like many, I don’t look forward to the annual self-defence training at work. So, I was unsure what to expect on Monday morning. We were introduced to the SIG’s “Explosive Self Defence System”. Our group had a mix of abilities and experiences. I liked how we didn’t learn complicated techniques requiring regular practice, as I suffer from skill fade, or totally forget them if not used regularly. What we got, were easy and effective techniques, that I am confident I will remember. We regularly changed partners, which really broke the ice, and gave us the chance to try out our skills on people of different builds. Tuesday’s focus was tactical first aid, run by a trainer from the German Polizei, who had worked with the Polizei Commandoes (German SWAT) and Riot units. He was both experienced and passionate about the subject. The session started with a presentation on catastrophic bleeds, I’ve suffered far too many ‘death by PowerPoint’ classes, but his was excellent, and led nicely into practical sessions using tourniquets. The class had a mix of first aid ability, from those with pre-hospital trauma training, to some with very basic first aid. At the end of the session everyone had learned something new and had the confidence to tackle catastrophic bleeds, secure airways and apply direct pressure dressings. To finish off the day, we had a session on ground defence tactics. The session was fun but physical and focused on defending yourself if you got knocked or fell to the ground. Wednesday started with a practical knife defence session. The tactics utilised the Explosive Self Defence System we had covered on Monday. It initially looked complicated, but the trainers build it up in stages and by the end, we were confident and proficient.

The afternoon covered active threat training, the objective was to show us how to effectively deal with an armed assailant when unarmed. It was great to hear about our American colleague’s experience of such an incident. We learned about the Run Hide Tell principles, to minimise causalities and slow down attackers while aiding the police response. This was interesting since all my previous training had been focused on dealing with incidents from a police response perspective. In the afternoon we were introduced to point shooting. We used airsoft pistols, which allowed flexibility in the drills, without the safety restrictions required with firearms. The technique showed us how to use natural instincts to accurately and quickly shoot while moving. The active days were nicely finished off with relaxing evenings at the castle’s bar, sharing stories over a few beers. Thursday began with a practical lesson about active threats. The session focused on entering buildings where someone is activity attacking people. Again, peoples training varied massively, leading to some interesting discussion. Despite the differences, we were all able to work together in the scenarios. After lunch we took part in more scenarios covering everything we had learned throughout the week. After the training was over for the day, we changed into uniform and had a group photo, followed by a BBQ and a few drinks. Friday morning was a wash-up session, where we discussed the course content and sorted any administration before saying our goodbyes. We had varied departure times, and as a few of us didn’t leave until Saturday, we headed into Cologne for an afternoon of sightseeing and shopping. This was my first trip to Gimborn, and my first experience Defensive Tactics Group seminar, it certainly won’t be my last. Regardless of your position, job or experience it’s a great opportunity to learn some new skills to keep yourself safe. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

POLICE WORLD Vol 67 No.1, 2022

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