A second posting, regarding 'knife vs. gun'
The "21 foot" rule has spawned some really stupid conclusions.
The "21 foot" rule, or Tueller concept says a person with a holstered handgun cannot react fast enough to avoid being injured by an attacker armed with a knife within 21 feet.
This has been taken to mean - by some - that within a 21 foot radius, a person armed with a knife will always defeat a person armed with a handgun. This is NOT true.
What it means is, whoever starts the fight within 21 feet is nearly always going to get in the first lick. A person armed with a knife, baseball bat, cattle prod or handgun who STARTS the action will [usually] score the first blow.
This also assumes the attacker doesn't try to intimidate or impress the perceived victim by demonstrating his weapon. If a person is brandishing a knife or impact weapon and is closing on me, I will be, at the very least, getting a proper grip on my sidearm, opening any retention devices and planning my next move (shoot, move, push dependents out of line of action, signalling for assistance, etc).
Wild Bill, I understand your reaction to the dispatch call. I remember going through a couple of academies and being trained in a multitude of possible scenarios in a multitude of disciplines. The first event on duty was NEVER covered in the manual. Not even close.
The "21 foot" rule has spawned some really stupid conclusions.
The "21 foot" rule, or Tueller concept says a person with a holstered handgun cannot react fast enough to avoid being injured by an attacker armed with a knife within 21 feet.
This has been taken to mean - by some - that within a 21 foot radius, a person armed with a knife will always defeat a person armed with a handgun. This is NOT true.
What it means is, whoever starts the fight within 21 feet is nearly always going to get in the first lick. A person armed with a knife, baseball bat, cattle prod or handgun who STARTS the action will [usually] score the first blow.
This also assumes the attacker doesn't try to intimidate or impress the perceived victim by demonstrating his weapon. If a person is brandishing a knife or impact weapon and is closing on me, I will be, at the very least, getting a proper grip on my sidearm, opening any retention devices and planning my next move (shoot, move, push dependents out of line of action, signalling for assistance, etc).
Wild Bill, I understand your reaction to the dispatch call. I remember going through a couple of academies and being trained in a multitude of possible scenarios in a multitude of disciplines. The first event on duty was NEVER covered in the manual. Not even close.
