But will it work, Sir?

and other effects. If the defense can still be performed under these conditions — it does not have to look pretty, but rather keep the officer safe — then it is an acceptable technique.

The steps that one should take in addressing any kind of threat, from a hand strike to explosives, are:

• Address the most immediate threat first
• Gain control while remaining acutely aware of secondary threats
• Strike and strike hard to take control of the situation
• Depending on the specific situation, disarming the assailant may or may not be a good idea.

Let us stay with the handgun threat example. If the muzzle of a firearm is your most immediate threat, then addressing this threat should be your top priority. There are multiple ways of addressing the muzzle of a gun, but ultimately your goal would be to get yourself out of the line of fire and stay out of it. Often, especially under extreme stress, defenders will perform a proper redirection but then lose sight of the threat while attempting to counter attack or disarm, resulting in the muzzle turned back on them. Once the muzzle is redirected the defender must immediately gain control over the assailant and maneuver himself in such a manner that if the assailant had a secondary weapon (it may be a tucked-away knife, but could also be nothing more than the attacker’s fist) a defense against that secondary attack will be possible while still remaining out of the line of fire.

There is no doubt that the best defense is offense. Once control is gained, the defender should strike and aim to gain control of the fight as fast as possible. You must be swift, aggressive, and effective. I have yet to find one agency that will condemn an officer for using force when being threatened with a handgun.

Last but not least, is disarming the assailant always the best approach? There are two reason why this becomes an issue: first, taken in context, seldom will a person take multiple strikes and still retain control of what is in his hand. Chances are that the firearm has been dropped by the time disarming is attempted. Secondly, many people I have trained became so focused on the takeaway that they forgot to maintain control of the attacker, at which point they often found themselves being stabbed or struck. Remember, you are fighting the person not the weapon, losing track of that may cost dearly. You should judge whether you would be better off attempting to disarm the assailant — or creating space, drawing your own weapon and engaging from a safer position with your own trusted sidearm.

These are only a few of the various points that should be considered when developing a defensive tactics system or when seeking qualified instructors. There are many good systems and able teachers out there. Be smart, evaluate, and make educated decisions based on your specific needs.

Tzviel (“BK”)’ Blankchtein is a defensive tactics instructor working closely with various law enforcement and military units in the United States and abroad. BK served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and received his Bachelor’s degree in Counterterrorism and International Security from the University of Maryland. BK is founder and president of Masada Tactical, and may be contacted through the company’s Web site.