Ultimate FTO Calibre Press: The Forgotten Art of Officer Safety

In an era where police officers are increasingly under scrutiny, it is imperative to revisit a crucial aspect of their training that has been largely forgotten – officer safety. Specifically, I'm referring to the art of close quarters combat and tactics used by officers in the 1970s and 1980s.

It's astonishing to discover that only a handful of agencies claim to have trained their officers in this manner during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Fewer still include it as part of their recruit training. In fact, an informal survey conducted among hundreds of officers who have taken part in such training revealed that almost no agencies are now training or have ever trained their officers to handle violent confrontations like the one depicted in the Calibre Press movie 'The Ultimate Survivors'.

In the clip I'm about to share with you, we see a re-creation of an event that took place in 1976 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Two officers were confronted by a subject in the bedroom of a home, leading to a violent confrontation that ended in tragedy.

It's crucial to analyze this clip from a different perspective – one that focuses on officer safety rather than mere tactics. In this scenario, instead of engaging in a prolonged fight with the suspect, the officers could have used their training to close the distance and make a contact shot. Unfortunately, it appears that neither officer took this approach.

The majority of officers who participated in discussions following the viewing of this video expressed disappointment and frustration at what they perceived as a lack of action on the part of one or both officers involved. This sentiment highlights the importance of reviewing and refining our training methods to prioritize officer safety above all else.

As an instructor, I've had the privilege of showcasing this clip from 'The Ultimate Survivors' in my professional development course for instructors Excellence in Training. It serves as a powerful reminder that we must always put officer safety at the forefront of our minds when dealing with violent confrontations.

By revisiting and refining these forgotten tactics, we can ensure that our officers are better equipped to handle high-pressure situations and return home safely to their families. The ultimate FTO Calibre Press training – it's time to rediscover this crucial aspect of officer safety.

Ultimate fto calibre press