Police Ready Challenge #6

July 27, 2009

You’ve been called to a domestic dispute and the wife is under the influence of some kind of psychedelic drug and is bouncing off the walls. She is waving a switchblade in the air and obviously knows how to use it. She comes at you and your partner, slashing in wide arcs just as her two-year old toddler walks into the kitchen.

What would you do in this situation?

1) Kung fu kick the knife out of her hand?
2) Duck and grab the child and run?
3) Draw your gun?

Based on your selected option, here are brief descriptions that explains the outcome of each option.

1) While this is an option, you’d better be sure you are deadly accurate with your kick or you will wind up with a nasty slash on your leg or other body parts.
2) This is the best option. The child’s safety is paramount. One of you could grab the child and head out the door to the cruiser to call for assistance. The other could divert the mother’s attention by taking cover.
3) Bad choice, as this would escalate the situation into something really ugly. Deadly force is only effective if you are able to kill immediately. In the time it takes to get ready to fire, the mother may have stabbed you right in the heart. Drug addicts are notoriously strong and agile when they are whacked out.

As you are running out the door with the child to take her to safety, the husband, who is just arriving home, sees you taking his daughter and tackles you. You all land in a heap on the lawn just inches from the cruiser and he pulls out a gun.

What would you do in this situation?

1) Kick him in the groin bringing him to his knees?
2) Carefully reach for your second gun in your boot?
3) Roll rapidly under the cruiser to take cover?

Based on your selected option, here are brief descriptions that explains the outcome of each option.

1) This is actually a fairly good option as it has the element of surprise attached to it. In addition, since being kicked in the groin would be excruciatingly painful, he would likely drop the gun. You would likely be able to retrieve it.
2) No, bad option. Any move like that on your part would mean instant death, as the father is in no mood to talk civilly.
3) This option has some merit, but you would also be a sitting duck while he took potshots at you under the cruiser.

Joshua Mok
Police Ready
www.PoliceReady.com