| It is not easy to be emergency services | | | | many view close combat training only useful for |
| anywhere, but in New York City it takes a special | | | | military personnel, many of the tactics were |
| breed. | | | | indeed developed for law enforcement activities. |
| In the past few months, lone police officers have | | | | Even in medieval Japan, the samurai who |
| had to deal with shootouts, stabbings, riots, and | | | | practiced Jujutsu spent much of their time |
| unruly protesters. While events like these are all in | | | | performing law enforcement duties. They |
| the line of duty in New York City, they shockingly | | | | understood not every situation could be settled |
| routine. | | | | with swords when dealing with a hostile population, |
| What should never be part of the routine though | | | | and Jujutsu was effective even against an |
| is the deaths of police officers. On the evening of | | | | armored opponent. |
| March 15, 2007, the city lost two of its bravest in | | | | Another great contributor to police close combat |
| a hale of gunfire. | | | | training was William E. Fairbairn. A British police |
| That night they proved they had courage, but | | | | officer in the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP), |
| lacked training. | | | | Fairbairn worked his way up from patrolmen to |
| Buried with full honors, the greatest tribute to | | | | commissioner during the city's most violent period. |
| their courage can be improved close combat | | | | Having fought in over six-hundred street fights |
| training. | | | | and receiving his black belt in Judo at the |
| Nobody is exactly sure what David Garvin's | | | | Kodokan, Fairbairn went on to write the close |
| motivation was for the brutal shooting that | | | | combat classic Defendu to help police officers. |
| started the killing spree, but it is clear he was | | | | Meant for self-defense it concentrated on |
| ready for a fight. He was carrying two | | | | disarming and restraining opponents, but allowed |
| semiautomatic firearms and over one hundred | | | | for lethal force when necessary. |
| rounds of ammunition. | | | | The New York City police department has to |
| Unfortunately auxiliary officers Nicholas Todd | | | | adapt its auxiliary program or events like what |
| Pekearo, 28, and Eugene Marshalik, 19, who were | | | | happened March 15, 2007 will inevitably happen |
| first to respond, were only armed with radios. | | | | again. |
| When they ordered Garvin to drop his bag he | | | | Garvin had already killed one unarmed man by the |
| complied, but then realized they were unarmed | | | | time he encountered the officers, so in his mind |
| and took off. | | | | the only option left was to fight. If the auxiliary |
| The officers gave chase, but Garvin turned on | | | | officers had been taught even the most basic of |
| them and shot Marshalik in the back of the head | | | | close combat methods they could have |
| and shot Pekearo repeatedly after diving behind a | | | | overtaken the killer when they first confronted |
| car for cover. Armed police officers arrived | | | | the criminal. |
| quickly and engaged Garvin who died trying to | | | | The 4,500 brave men and women that serve as |
| make a stand in a store. As with any in the line of | | | | auxiliary police officers in New York City deserve |
| duty deaths questions are raised about what | | | | better then to be cut down in the street. |
| could have been done to prevent such a tragedy. | | | | Regardless of whether police personnel are |
| Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly spoke well of | | | | volunteer or paid they must be given the same |
| the fallen officers and promised he would | | | | training because they share the danger. |
| reexamine the training for auxiliary officers. While | | | | |