PW_4_2018

Professional Development

Spotlight on the Defensive Tactics Group (DTG) An introduction from Robert Stenhouse: A year ago, Joe Johnson (IPA US President) and I began the process of exporting the IPA Defensive Tactics Group (DTG) to America. I travelled to the US to help with a course in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during July. My thanks go out to the NEC and the Defensive Tactics Group, with whose help I was able to afford the flights.

T he day before our course, Joe showed me around the beautiful Green Bay area, which is roasting hot at this time of year but has frozen winters. I met with officers from Joe’s station at De Pere and from the local Sheriff’s Department. Over the next few days IPA members arrived from all over the world, 36 from 11 nations; Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Brazil, Canada, USA, Germany and the UK. It was an amazing mix of people and cultures, which made a fascinating blend of people. The course programme included: active shooter, combat shooting, knife defence and open hand fighting skills. I kicked off with the first

presentation about the DTG. I must say I felt some pressure, but once started I became comfortable with the audience and got into a flow. I explained that the IPA-DTG techniques are formulated by police officers for police officers: with minimum input and maximum output, that are easily taught, easily trained, easily remembered, easily recalled under stress and not gender specific. It is the objective of the Professional Commission to expand the DTG to every Section. It is free to join and if anyone is interested, please contact Robert Stenhouse - robert.stenhouse@sky.com - for more information.

Police Street Survival Training course IBZ Gimborn Chris Duncombe In July Chris Duncombe was at Gimborn for a course that taught him a whole range of self-defence, active terrorist drills and more. Chris said “It was easily one of the best courses I’ve ever done.” I arrived on the Sunday before the course started, to settle in. The grounds are so peaceful, a real oasis. I spent the rest of with the skills we had learned before and how the psychology of situations affects both you and an assailant. After lunch was first aid skills for major incidents. Then it was into Cologne for dinner and some tourist shopping.

the day in the honesty bar getting to know the others who turned up early. There were officers from everywhere, from South Africa to Finland. Everyone moans about kit and training though, so some things are universal. Day 1 We started with introductory lectures, then onto the Explosive Self Defence System, a method developed by the DTG. This was about gross motor skills to gain control in a defensive situation.. Day 2 The first half of the day was about being in a fight or flight situation. After lunch was a talk about the point shooting technique developed in Shanghai. Only three of us did not routinely carry fire arms so I was apprehensive about this bit. I needn’t have been though, within two hours I was shooting (air soft pistols in lieu of real ones) just as well as everyone else. Day 3 started with knife defence skills, building on day one. I learnt new skills that have given me real confidence in my work. Again, it linked in

Day 4 was fun all the way through. We started with a presentation on marauding terrorist attacks, followed by a practical exercise on defending a room. After lunch it was onto a selection of scenarios to test our knowledge. These were difficult but so much fun including hiding in a dark basement with a hostage and knife attacks in a domestic. Then there was an evening BBQ and beers to round it all off. Day 5 This was a debrief morning, with most people having to get flights at various times. Glorious sunshine helped the sore heads and the goodbyes to new friends. Overall the course has been fantastic, I have learnt so much. I can’t wait for next year and massively recommend it to everyone, regardless of fitness or ability.

POLICE WORLD Vol 63 No. 4, 2018

6