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Old 09-17-2009, 07:20 PM   #52
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
Location: Oceanside, California
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,253
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Re: Aikido - Martial Arts - Fighting

Kevin,

As you mentioned, it is always preferred to have sufficient help on scene in police activities. To do otherwise is called "Tombstone Courage", one of our deadly sins. Sometimes we simply don't have the luxury of waiting for back-up and have to act immediately, but those times are fairly rare, thankfully.

After re-reading all the posts here, I was reminded that there are fights, and then there are fights. Competition fighters fight vigorously to defeat their opponent within certain rules and to earn money and prestige. Our military folks fight to destroy the enemy and his will to continue fighting. Street fights are usually a matter of ego and the goal is to establish pecking order, discounting specific criminal assaults such as robbery or rape. Police fights have a goal of preserving the peace and taking the offender into custody within some very narrow rules, what you military guys call the Rules of Engagement.

As Don mentioned, one of the huge benefits to developing martial arts skills for police fights is the ability to use the least amount of force necessary and to avoid inflaming public sentiment. Beating on some guy, barehanded or with impact weapons just isn't acceptable most of the time.

What Ledyard Sensei provides the officers in his area is far more valuable than what they are paying him. I suspect that he is very much in favor of trying to persuade before going hands on as well. The best fight is the one that doesn't happen.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
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