Recently, Corrections1 posted a tactical tip by Lt. Dave Rose dealing with Staying safe in a bite attack that contained some very valuable information. This information can be expanded to encompass preventing all types of attacks that originate from an offender’s head, including spitting, biting and head-butt assaults. As Lt. Rose stated, these types of assaults need to be anticipated, responded to and prevented if possible.
When dealing alone or with other officers, we need to expect this type of assault. As soon as we hear that guttural sound of a subject that we are dealing gathering their saliva, we should know that the person is going to try to spit in our face.
Defense from all types of head based assaults starts with having our hands up. An officer strategically placed hands can be used to deflect, cover, or prevent the assault.
Officer ready to respond to a sudden assault
Preventing the assault is much preferred than to reacting to the attack after the subject has spit at you, bitten you, or smashed your face with a head butt. If your hands are up and you know what to do, these assaults can be prevented by the use of less-intrusive tactics like the Palm Head Push Tactic used below.
Palm head push tactic from interview stance
This Palm Head Push Tactic can also be used from an escort position as pictured below.
Officer establishes an escort position escort position to palm head push tactic
If you react too late to perform a Palm Head Push Tactics to stop the person spitting, you can quickly cover up to prevent the spittle hitting you in the face. This tactic can also be used to stop someone from spraying you in the face with OC Spray or other Aerosol Spray type assault. Remember that this defense needs to be followed immediately by continuing to disengage and/or escalate to empty hand control tactics like a forearm or knee strike to prevent a second assault.
Cover up tactic for spitting and aerosol sprays
The best tactics for preventing a spitting, biting, or head butting assault is to always prepare your self in advance to defeat these types of assaults by placing yourself in such a position to eliminate the possibility of these types of assaults. This is not as hard as it might appear at first.
For instance, when seat belting someone into a squad preparing for transport, have the subject turn his head away from you while you place your forearm along his jaw line while grasping his/her shoulder.
Seat belting tactic for preventing assaults
Another opportunity to prevent a spitting, biting, or head butting assault is to stabilize the head of the subject in custody who are either in a prone position with a subject on their stomach or a supine position with the subject on their back. In the supine position, an officer can establish a Head Tilt / Chin Lift Position (the standard CPR position for establishing an airway). The officer’s hand position can to use to effectively eliminate a subjects ability to spit, bite, or head butt while maintaining the subject’s airway. You get to look good, keep the subject safe, and prevent an assault at the same time.
Head tilt/chin lift anti assault-tactic
The same type of officer safety tactics can be used for a subject in a prone position. This Head Stabilization Tactic developed by Dave Young of the NTC RedMan Training Division can be used to establish an airway while preventing spitting, biting, and head butt assaults. You will notice that the hands mimic the chest compression CPR hand position which is why it is sometimes called the “Do CPR” Head Stabilization Tactic.
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Prone head stabilization anti-assault tactic
Head Stabilization Tactics can also be used by single officer or in team tactics to stop spitting, biting, or head butting by a subject who is standing. These tactics can be used from the inside position using a Frontal Securing the Head Tactics or by hooking the head and pulling it into the officers chest using a Pull In / Push Down Tactic. Both of these tactics can continue with a decentralization of the subject to the ground.
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Frontal securing the head tactic pull in/push down tactic
An officer can use the Rear Securing the Head Tactic to stabilize the head of a standing or sitting subject preventing that subject for spitting, biting, or head butting the surrounding officers.
Rear securing the head tactic
In summary, the head can be a dangerous weapon allowing an assailant to spit at you, bite you, or head butt you. You best defense is to assume that the subject is going to assault you. By remaining alert, being decisive, and having a pre planned practiced response, you, at best, can prevent that subject from initiating the assault, or, at least, preventing the subject from successfully completing the assault.
My thanks to Sergeant Bill Brown and Deputy Doug Funk of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Officer for their assistance in creating the photographs that I took to be used in this tactical tip.
