Trainer Talk

Every officer knows that a duty flashlight is for much more than looking into cars (though that’s a critically important purpose). A high-performance flashlight also affords a significant advantage during an encounter with a subject in a dark environment — this is known as defensive illumination. While light clearly cannot fully control a subject, a flashlight with a high-intensity central beam can create a protective “wall of light,” giving the officer a tactical edge.

As the name suggests, handcuff neuropathy is an injury—usually to someone in police custody—caused by overtightening of handcuffs. Over-compression most often damages the superficial radial nerve,  and this damage can be severe and permanent.

I started my Law enforcement career in 1991. At that time, Academy classes were six months long and fairly challenging. Several of my friends went through the process and told me to be prepared for the hard work ahead.

Have you ever seen the way many police officers stand? My department had what we affectionately called “heavy arm syndrome”—upon graduating the academy, probationary police officers caught this condition from seasoned veterans.