NCJ Number
190835
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2001 Pages: 103-107
Date Published
July 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines the female officer survival course of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Abstract
The Miami-Dade Police Department has designed a "Female Officer Survival Techniques Course" geared specifically toward helping female officers protect themselves in confrontational situations. The course was designed with the small-framed officer in mind. The focus of the course is to provide a female officer tactics that will enable her to deal with a larger aggressor. It includes a complete physical review and sessions on marksmanship; use of force skills and ground fighting defensive tactics; close quarter battle tactics; gun retention; handcuffing skills; street confrontation drills; night fire lectures and practice; street scenarios for survival; building searches; officer injury drills; and an exotic weapons lecture and demonstration. Participants are placed in scenarios that test not only their physical abilities, but incorporate discretion and decision making abilities and the Use of Force Matrix. The goal of the class is to increase the female officer's survival skills repertoire, demonstrate the techniques' applicability in combative situations, and equip her with an improved awareness of the basic but essential procedures that will increase her protective competence.