For some reason, the idea of a police officer striking a suspect in the face carries with it a certain stigma. Maybe it's because officers have so many other force options at their disposal (i.e. Taser, baton, pepper spray, etc). With all of those gadgets, why on earth would an officer resort to striking a suspect in the "snot locker"? After all, it doesn't appear to be a very professional method of overcoming a suspect's resistance.
The fact of the matter is, if a suspect suddenly attacks from close range with his hands, feet or a contact distance weapon such as a knife or club, the items carried on your duty belt will be of little value. Being well versed in close quarter striking techniques enables you to nullify the suspect's attack by putting him on the defensive. This allows you to detach from the suspect, creating the distance and time needed to deploy the appropriate tool from your duty belt.
While there are a plethora of close quarter striking techniques and variations, we'll examine three of the simplest and most effective. Keep in mind, applying the push/pull methodology described below when executing these techniques enables you to generate significantly more power.
Close Quarter Striking Techniques
Head Butt
When considering parts of your anatomy to strike with, your head might not immediately come to mind (no pun intended). However, using the top portion of your head to strike the suspect's face is likely to tilt the odds of winning the confrontation in your favor. When striking with your head, be sure to tuck your chin and shrug your shoulders. This will help to stabilize your neck and minimize the likelihood of you sustaining injury. Clenching your teeth is a good idea and could save you a trip to the dentist.
Avoid moving your head and neck back and forth like a Woodpecker when delivering a head butt. Striking in this manner will have little effect on the suspect and could result in you being seriously injured.
If the suspect were to grab you from behind, snap your head back as hard as you can, striking the suspect's face with the upper rear portion of your head. At the very least, this should compromise the suspect's grip creating an avenue of escape and leaving him vulnerable to follow up strikes.
From a clinch position, you could use the side of your head to impact the suspect's face. Although you won't be able to generate as much power with this version, it could momentarily distract the suspect, allowing you to transition to a more dominant position.
Elbow Strike
Think of your elbow as a flesh and bone version of your baton. At close range, you could generate sufficient power to cause the suspect to cease whatever he is doing (including standing and being conscious). The elbow strike is as versatile as it is powerful. You can strike inward, outward, upward, or downward depending on your position relative to the suspect and which anatomical target you intend to strike.
The striking surface varies from the tip of the elbow to a few inches on either side depending on the trajectory of the strike. Some excellent targets for your elbow strikes are the face, the side of the neck, ribs, and solar plexus (when the suspect is behind you).
The elbow is a relatively large, hard striking surface. Elbow strikes can be delivered to just about anywhere on the body with little risk of injuring yourself (hence the baton analogy). Incidentally, placing one or both elbows in front of your face provides considerable protection from incoming strikes.
Knee Strike
The knee strike is an excellent technique to use against a resistive suspect. The abdomen, groin, and upper leg are prime targets for a knee strike. The knee should be thrust horizontally, into the suspect when targeting his body. In situations when the suspect is bent over, you could drive your knee upward to strike his face.
The common peroneal nerve runs along the outside of the upper leg and is a readily accessible target. A forceful knee strike to the common peroneal nerve can cause the suspect's leg to buckle, momentarily distracting him and enabling you to establish control.
The Push/pull Methodology
To maximize the power in your close quarter strikes, secure a portion of the suspect's anatomy and pull him into the strike. This creates a head-on type collision between your striking surface and its target. For example, consider delivering an inward elbow strike to the suspect's head.
Upon impact, the suspect's head moves away from the direction of the blow, dissipating the force. However, if you were to grab the back of the suspect's head with your non-striking hand and pull it into your strike, his head would have nowhere to go. In fact, the movement of his head would actually intensify the power of your strike. By incorporating the push/pull methodology into your close quarter striking you will achieve an immediate and dramatic increase in power.
Conclusion
In situations where you are suddenly attacked at close range, you won't have time to access any of the equipment on your duty belt. You need to hone your close quarter striking skills to the point that they are an instinctive and natural response in this precarious situation. Your ability to deliver accurate and powerful strikes with your head, elbow, or knee might be the difference between victory and defeat. In that regard, close quarter striking truly is your last line of defense.
Stay safe and never give up!
