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Baton carries: A visual deterrent

The impact weapon is one of the oldest force options for an officer, and provides the officer with a professional — and positive — visual deterrent. How the officer carries his or her baton can, in some cases, either de-escalate or even escalate a situation.

Remember: The impact weapon is one of the only force options that is visible throughout the use of force continuum. The mere presence of the officer, from the time the baton is in their holder, to the moment they remove it from the holder and carry the baton, is a show of force.

This tactical tip by Dave Young will show how various carry methods, from One Hand, Two Hand, Baton Rest and Port Arms Position, Command Carry, Low Profile, can help maintain that professional visual deterrent.

Dave Young is the Founder and Director of ARMA, now part of the PoliceOne Training Network. He is also the Chairman of PoliceOne.com Advisory Board, and a training advisor for Corrections1.com. Dave graduated from his first law enforcement academy in 1985, and now has over 25 years of combined civilian and military law enforcement and training experience. He was a sworn corrections and law enforcement officer in the state of Florida and has served as a gate sentry, patrol officer, watch commander, investigator, Special Reaction Team (SRT) member, leader and commander in the United States Marine Corps.

Dave has participated in and trained both military and law enforcement personnel in crowd management operations throughout the world. Dave is recognized as one of the nation’s leading defensive tactics instructors specializing in crowd management, chemical and specialty impact munitions, protocol and selection of gear and munitions, ground defense tactics, and water - based defensive tactics.

He has hosted television shows for National Geographic TV Channel on Non Lethal Weapons and the host of Crash Test Human series. He is a former staff noncommissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps, a member of the Police Magazine advisory board, and a technical advisory board member for Force Science Research Center. Dave is an active member of the American Society for Law Enforcement Training (ASLET), International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).

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