LEO Close Quarters Battle – Handgun Skills

A small percentage of LEO’s are killed every year with their own weapon.  In very close encounters known as Close Quarters Battle (CQB) type engagements with the assailant, officers can be disarmed rather easily if they do not possess the skills to hang onto their handgun.  Officers have been and will continue to be disarmed while the handgun is in the holster.  Security type holsters have made this more difficult, but far from impossible.  This is the very reason that all officers should possess skills that enables them to protect the gun while it is in the holster and while the gun is in hand.

Because LEO’s have to get close to the suspect to search him and or handcuff him, this will always be a potential problem, and this kind of training is extremely important concerning officer safety.  HARD TARGET has linked up with Jeff Westfall of Rising Phoenix Mixed Martial Arts Academy to provide the skills needed to protect the gun in the holster and while the gun is in hand.

Security holsters help with protecting the weapon while it is in the holster, but do not for one minute believe the suspect cannot disarm you just because you have a security holster.  All officers must be able to defend the gun in the holster to prevent a gun take away.  Officers must also be able to defend from a gun grab when the gun is in hand.  If an unarmed suspect attempts to disarm you, has he committed a felony crime?  Is his attempt considered deadly force on his part?  In short – yes if he is attempting to disarm you, you are justified in using deadly force if necessary.

This is where Guy Minnis, the Director of Training for HARD TARGET, comes into play.  Jeff Westfall will teach the officers techniques to protect the handgun, and Guy will teach officers how to draw the gun and shoot at contact distances without suffering another attack to disarm.  These shooting techniques are called, “close retention” shooting techniques and they can make the difference between life and death in these types of encounters.  If you as an officer are disarmed, the percentages are high that your weapon will be used to kill you.  It is because of this very reason that annual training in this class is an absolute must for all officers.   

You cannot always rely on your own department to train you as well as you should be trained.  Since this is the case for most law enforcement agencies, why is that you are not taking control of your own destiny?  Why are you not enrolled in this class?  This is an 8-hour training course. Come on guys and gals, this is a no-brainer! Get signed up ASAP!