Ep 22 ‘Evaluation of Tactical Movement and Firearm Draw Performance During Charging Knife Attacks’ with Dr. Michael Kantor

Welcome to Episode 22 of Trainers Bullpen, the ‘Evaluation of Tactical Movement and Firearm Draw Performance During Charging Knife Attacks’ with Dr. Michael Kantor Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology at Ohio Northern University.

 It is of course no surprise to law enforcement officers and trainers that edged weapons can pose a lethal threat to officers. Many of the critical blood bearing vessels lie very close to the surface of the skin and even a small blade or an improvised edges weapon can quickly inflict potentially fatal injuries.

 Law enforcement trainers owe an extreme debt of gratitude to Lt (ret) Dennis Tueller who in 1982 first explored the question of at what distance does someone charging at an officer with an edged weapon pose a potentially lethal threat to an officer. Tueller found that a subject could cover 21 feet in the time it took an officer to draw their handgun and fire one round.

 Although some additional peer-reviewed research has been done since Tueller’s original work on how fast suspects can sprint and cover ground and how long it takes officers to react, draw and shoot, Dr. Kantor’s current study, using advanced measurement technology, is the first one to deeply explore the movement patterns and draw kinematics of an officer when a suspect is rapidly charging an officer.

 In this critically important interview, Dr. Kantor discusses the research, the findings and the shocking implications of this study for law enforcement officers and trainers.

 Summary of implications include. The “myth” of the perfect draw technique that successful officers do not repeat techniques they solve problems and repeat outcomes; One handed shooting – at close range attacks the brain will drive forward the draw and shooting response at the speed of survival. This typically involves shooting one handed as the muzzle clears the holster; “Movement is King” - How static range training instills exactly the opposite outcomes that officers need to survive these encounters; Functional fitness is lacking – fitness training regimes need to be designed to develop the explosive, fast-twitch muscle systems officers need to be able to move rapidly…and many more important takeaways.

 This study, ‘Evaluation of Tactical Movement and Firearm Draw Performance During Charging Knife Attacks’ was published in Police Practice and Research in 2023. Just a reminder, this study is available at www.trainersbullpen.com