2009

Where are we going?

Historical abstract: Hedden looks back on the Use of Force Journal’s origins, crediting Ed Nowicki’s Use of Force Instructor Program and a desire to continue sharing ideas with instructors internationally. Announcing his departure from the “Deadly Force” column as he assumes additional ILEETA work, Hedden surveys changes in firearms and force training: greater realism, integration within a broader force curriculum, scenario work, and emerging simulator capabilities. The column is valuable both as training commentary and as an internal transition document, preserving one participant’s account of the journal’s purpose and his changing role.

Topics: Journal history; leadership transition; firearms training; simulation

APA-style citation: Harvey Hedden. (2009). Where are we going?. The ILEETA Use of Force Journal, 9(3), 3-4.

Historical caution: The origin account is a first-person recollection published in 2009. It is strong primary evidence but should be compared with Ed Nowicki’s records and oral history.

The Basics

Historical abstract: Willis challenges the desire to rush toward “high speed” or supposedly advanced tactics. His argument is that advanced performance is usually the mastery and adaptable application of fundamentals. Examples from judo, jiu-jitsu, and officer survival illustrate how repeated practice develops reliable skill under pressure. For trainers, the article calls for honest assessment of whether students can perform basic movements in varied contexts rather than merely recognize or demonstrate them once. It also asks instructors to model patience and discipline, making foundational competence a continuing professional obligation rather than an academy-stage hurdle.

Topics: Training fundamentals; skill mastery; instructor development; officer survival

APA-style citation: Brian Willis. (2009). The Basics. The ILEETA Use of Force Journal, 9(3), 11-12.

Historical caution: Examples and terminology reflect the author’s 2009 perspective. Current training design should also incorporate contemporary motor-learning and human-performance evidence.

How Handcuffs Can Be Used in an Assault

Historical abstract: Tucker demonstrates how a handcuffed person may use the cuffs and chain to trap an officer’s wrist, block or capture a baton, strike vulnerable areas, or apply choking pressure. The illustrated feature disputes the assumption that cuffing equals control and urges officers and instructors to continue monitoring positioning, distance, and subject behavior after restraint. Its historical significance lies in treating ordinary restraint equipment as a potential improvised weapon and in translating correctional experience into officer-safety instruction. The piece is concise, visual, and explicitly designed to disrupt complacency.

Topics: Handcuffing; weapon retention; corrections; restraint safety

APA-style citation: Ricky Tucker. (2009). How Handcuffs Can Be Used in an Assault. The ILEETA Use of Force Journal, 9(3), 21-22.

Words - A Use of Force Option

Historical abstract: Smith treats speech as a practical force option, arguing that word choice, tone, volume, emphasis, body language, and cultural awareness can either reduce or intensify conflict. He draws on his own development as a communicator and asks trainers to help officers recognize how rapidly verbal exchanges can change. The essay does not present a scripted system; instead, it frames adaptive communication as a learned professional skill connected to compliance, legitimacy, and safety. Its placement in a use-of-force journal signals an expansive view of force training that includes prevention and interpersonal judgment.

Topics: Verbal skills; de-escalation; communication; force options

APA-style citation: Larry Smith. (2009). Words - A Use of Force Option. The ILEETA Use of Force Journal, 9(4), 5-7.

TASER Mentality

Historical abstract: Martinelli examines the risk that officers or organizations may become overreliant on an electronic control device and treat it as a universal solution. Using scenarios and comparisons with earlier adoption of pepper spray, he argues that equipment, policy, supervision, reporting, community response, and officer judgment interact. Manufacturer-led instruction, generational assumptions, and administrative expectations receive particular scrutiny. The article’s durable historical value is its documentation of a moment when agencies were working through the operational and cultural consequences of rapidly expanding TASER use, including failures, unintended effects, and public controversy.

Topics: Electronic control devices; TASER; force policy; training culture

APA-style citation: Ron Martinelli. (2009). TASER Mentality. The ILEETA Use of Force Journal, 9(4), 20-23.