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9 Strategies on Implementing (GST), August 2011
- 9 Strategies on Implementing (GST) August 2011
How many law enforcement officers have gone through a Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) course, been amazed at the effectiveness of the system, couldn't wait to get back to their agency to share their newfound enthusiasm with their brothers/sisters in arms, and ended up getting disappointed to have their testimonial ignored? Their efforts to be proactive at their agency in proposing adoption of the GST system are rebuffed with statements such as, ”We already have a system" or "we can't use that kind of stuff" or even worse, because of ignorance, "that stuff isn't good for law enforcement".
Over the years I have been approached by many officers who complain that their agency's defensive tactics system advocates ineffective or unrealistic techniques. In addition, these agencies are also inflexible about evaluating other options. These officers relied on the department's experts to train them to effectively control people and defend themselves in the field. Then, they became disillusioned when the techniques failed them. In the end, dissatisfaction or even open hostility to training manifested itself. The impact of the problem left officers vulnerable with few viable options for defense. Those who didn't seek training on their own and few did (who paid out of their own pocket), were left handicapped when it came to use of force.
“…I remembered hitting the suspect just like I was trained and he didn’t even flinch….I didn’t know what else to do….”
“….I was able to apply handcuffs in two seconds during training. …..it didn’t work on the street …. I felt totally exposed.…..”
“………even with two of us there we couldn’t control him….he was a big guy….it took a polyester pile to finish it….”
So, how can we be part of the solution - ensuring your agency employs a system that balances the tactical effectiveness required for the officer to prevail in a confrontation, while at the same time using proportional force in achieving lawful objectives? Wouldn’t it be great if you had a “volume control” by which to adjust the level of force used? What if the system didn’t depend on strength and worked with smaller statured officers? The solution is using proven methods that actually subdue resisting suspects with the least amount of force
How did these questionable systems get accepted by an agency in the first place? Let's face it; there are many systems out there that have charismatic instructors, even if the techniques are ineffective. I have seen many officers “drink the kool-aid” of a particular program because they were mesmerized by the instructor's personality.
Now that we see the challenge ahead of us, we must start down the path to a solution. To effectively solve any problem, one must first accurately define the problem, gather data/information, come up with strategies to accomplish the solution, and finally implement those strategies.
Defining the problem – Is the problem lack of training? Maybe there is enough training but it is ineffective? Or perhaps there is enough training but only some of the training is good while the rest is ineffective. Such as, good firearms or baton training but ineffective empty hand combatives training. Many defensive tactics systems seem to advocate what I call the “Harder! Faster! Stronger!” doctrine. This is an overreliance on physical attributes such as speed, strength and explosiveness. The problem with this kind of mentality is that not all officers will ever have these attributes. There is an old saying, “you can’t teach an elephant to be a gazelle and you can’t teach a race horse to be an ox.” No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to teach a 100 pound officer to be bigger and stronger in order to successfully and consistently overpower an athletic 250 pound determined attacker. This “Harder! Faster! Stronger!” doctrine may also increase the chances of excessive force allegations brought against you and your agency.
What is the organization’s current structure? - Let's spend some time and look at the situation that exists in many Law Enforcement agencies. You will have to decide which of the following aspects apply to your organization.
First, realize that there is usually one person assigned to oversee the defensive tactics (DT) in any agency. They are usually in that position because they have gained the trust of their Chief as a subject matter expert. Most Chiefs are too busy with other duties to spend any time analyzing their DT program so they rely heavily on their specialist to make those decisions for him. This “gatekeeper” power they posses should not be underestimated.
Next, let us look at some of the criteria that are important for those who are responsible for an agencies DT program. The Chief, through the DT coordinator, must choose a system that balances the tactical effectiveness required for the officer to prevail in a confrontation, with the duty to use proportional force in achieving lawful objectives. Obviously, an officer would not gouge out the eyes of an 80 year old lady who is refusing to sign a ticket, even though such a technique would be highly effective. Proportional force and tactical effectiveness - a Chief or DT program head has to weigh these two attributes of any DT system. Whenever they make a large scale change in adopting a new system, they are exposing themselves to risks as they now “own” any problems that may materialize in the newly adopted system. Remember, they are working in an industry that discourages deviating from what other agencies are doing, a.k.a staying with the 'industry standard'. Many times for agencies, it is safer and easier to stay with the herd than be eaten by the litigious wolves. Finally realize that, especially in larger departments, you are probably not the first to approach your DT Coordinator with news about the effectiveness of a new program or new technique(s). You must first understand how the above factors affect your DT coordinator in order to tailor a strategy to address them. Now that we understand the problem, we must get to work solving it.
Throughout my years of experience in this area I have compiled the following nine vital strategies that you can employ to bring about that needed change at your agency. By following these strategies, my hope is to save you from years of frustration and failure and most important, increase the survivability of your officers in the field and at the same time, reduce your agencies liability from excessive force lawsuits.
1. Always realize the importance of your mission: Bringing effective techniques to the officers at your agency. The honor of this goal must always be in the forefront of your mind, as it will help you maintain your motivation as you persevere through the challenges and setbacks that you are sure to encounter.
2. Get the most out of your training: In order to sell, organize, teach, and defend the system from criticism you must first be very familiar with the system. For example: You might hear someone say "The Gracies always want to go to the Guard, and we all know that's bad for Law Enforcement." If you understand the system, you can enlighten them by telling them that the Gracies also prefer to stay on top in a fight and that they only train from the bottom in the event they are forced there by a bigger, stronger opponent. I strongly encourage taking copious notes at your next GST seminar. Even if you don't think that you need to take notes, you can always learn something new, even if it is just a better way to explain an aspect of the system or the training. Your audience will sense your confidence and enthusiasm in the system.
3. Create your own GAPP list: The Gracie Academy understands that an agency may not have the resources to train the entire GST system, so they compiled a smaller list called “GAPP (Gracie Academy Premium Picks) techniques” that they feel are the most important ones to concentrate on if your time and resources are limited. Because you may not be allowed to teach the entire system, you should compile you own premium picks. If you could only teach a few techniques, what would they be? This list should be based on your agency's unique needs. If those needs are successfully met, it is likely that your agency will adopt more of the system.
4. Know your own policies: I have consulted with several officers about adopting the program at their agency and I have always been surprised to learn they do not know their own policies in regards to this subject. Is it written in policy that they can only do a particular system? Are any types of techniques forbidden? What is their Use of Force Continuum or Response Options Wheel or Response to Resistance Matrix? It is vital to know this because you should not concentrate your efforts on something that is explicitly forbidden in policy, (changing policy is a longer range and more difficult goal). Remember, to win in any arena you must first know the rules of the game..
5. Become familiar with Use of Force case law: Knowledge of case law will help you on several fronts. First, it will help you sell the program. When people say that you can’t use GST., you should have the knowledge to be able to enlighten them as to the true guidelines of force which are Federal and State/local Case law, in addition to (as already addressed above) Department Policy. Supreme Court case law should be studied as it universally applies to the entire nation. The Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal District Court in your area are also important, as are relevant state and local court rulings.
At a minimum, you should be familiar with the primary Supreme Court ruling regarding police use of force; Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989) which lays out the guidelines for application of force by introducing the Objective Reasonableness Standard. Additionally, knowledge of case law will also help you design your training. You will be able to train the officer to use a particular technique with the appropriate stimulus or level of resistance that is consistent with case law. It will also help you if you instruct officers, because questions will inevitably come up regarding the parameters of when and how they can use a technique, as well as, how they should document it. Finally, knowledge of case law will help you put your DT coordinator/Chief at ease as it will increase your credibility by showing them that you are also addressing the legal/liability side of this issue.
6. Learn how to write a lesson plan and properly document your training: Every state has a licensing department or commission. In California they have POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) and in Texas we have TCLEOSE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education). You can usually find a basic instructor course where you can learn about your own state's training standards and specifically how to properly document your training. Being a certified instructor and having a properly written lesson plan will add to your credibility. In this arena, credibility is everything.
7. Co-op the DT Coordinator - don't threaten him: When one is the DT Coordinator of an agency, it is not uncommon for others in his agency to try to embarrass him or even to take his place in that position. Consequently, it is natural for the DT Coordinator to become somewhat guarded when approached with new ideas. The best way to ensure that they do not believe that you are trying to embarrass them or take their job, while also getting them enthusiastic about the techniques, is to have him attend a GST seminar with you. ‘A prophet is not respected in his own land’ holds true here. Whereas he/she may not listen to you, another expert (such as a Gracie Academy instructor) can say the same thing and will be listened to without the same level of resistance. Remember, patience and tact is paramount!
8. Move Incrementally: It is always safest to move in deliberate steps. As mentioned earlier, Chiefs and DT coordinators are generally adverse to large scale changes. A resounding “NO” is usually the answer when bureaucracies are confronted with a proposal to make a large-scale change. In the paramilitary decorum of police agencies, once a NO had been issued, it would be considered insubordinate to ask again. A safer alternative might be to divide your goal into several smaller goals. For example, propose the technique that is needed most, and is least likely to be rejected. An example might be defending from being mounted with the attacker choking the officer. If the technique is framed / introduced properly, it very hard to refute its proportionality and effectiveness. In other words, make sure you place every technique in the proper context.
Once the agency is comfortable with those initial techniques, you can move gradually over time to introduce more and more of the system. There will be a point at which the system is no longer considered "new". Once this point has been achieved, your patience will have paid off and you will not likely experience the same level of resistance that you may have received when you first introduced the system.
9. Always know your target audience: Who you are talking to usually falls into two groups: The rank-and-file officers and the administrators. The rank-and-file group is primarily concerned with tactical effectiveness, what works and what does not. When speaking with someone from this group you should emphasize how The GST system has a long documented history of being effective against resisting opponents. The second group, administrators, must answer to City Hall, the media and the public for the actions of any of the officers within their purview. With administrators, you can emphasize how humane the system is and that it’s very “camera-friendly”. I usually start by stating that an officer can be 100% justified in their use of force, but if it “looks bad” to the uneducated observer, the department and officer will have a tough road ahead regardless of how righteous they may have been. Administrators identify quickly with this phenomenon because they want to avoid the nightmare scenario of an excessive force law suit on the evening news.
These 9 strategies will help any law enforcement officer in bringing about positive changes in their agency. While each agency will be different, these basic strategies are adaptable and can be applied at any agency. Expect it to be a long hard road. But, in the end, the officers in your agency deserve nothing less!
Charles Fernandez holds a Bachelor Degree from the University of Texas system. Charles has been a municipal police officer in a large metropolitan agency in Texas since 1992 and has served as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Tactics Instructor and In-service Training Coordinator since 2002. He has been practitioner of martial arts since age 8. He has played a key role bringing Gracie Survival Tactics to his own agency and assisted many others incorporate GST at their agency.
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