Upcoming Seminars

5/6/24-5/8/24	Ground Control Instructor Cert
Allegheny County Police Academy
5/13/24-5/17/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Cert
Bucks County Academy
6/24/24-6/26/24	SHARP Instructor Cert
Allegheny County Academy
8/5/24-8/7/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
Mansfield Academy
8/12/24-8/14/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
PGH Technical College, Oakdale, PA
9/3/24-9/5/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
Allegheny County Academy
9/9/24-9/11/24	Edged Weapon Countermeasures Instructor Cert
Allegheny County Police Academy
9/11/24-9/13/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
IUP Police Academy, Indiana, PA
10/7/24-10/9/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
Allegheny County Academy
10/21/24-10/23/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
Bucks County Academy
12/16/24-12/18/24	TPR/Use of Force Instructor Re-Cert
Mansfield Academy

A recent visit to the headquarters for PPCT in Columbia, IL, revealed a number of changes to their lineup of courses.

Numerous Changes

I spent the last week of February 2020 at the new headquarters for PPCT in Columbia, IL. This building has a classroom and a physical skills room side by side, and the workout room includes all necessary equipment for the various PPCT Seminars. It is conveniently located from the recommended lodging, the Hampton Inn, that is just a five minute drive away.

Please note the second change that is included in the opening paragraph. A re-brand or "retro brand" has taken place. The law enforcement seminars will once again be referred to as PPCT. While training there I was shown several new PPCT jerseys in various styles and colors. Thankfully, I saved my long sleeved PPCT STAFF Instructor shirts.

The third change is a major overhaul of the former Spontaneous Knife Defense program. This is now known as Edged Weapon Control, and it has done away with the ":passing techniques." Once an edged weapon assault has been "checked," the officer follows with a Front Thrust Kick or one of the two hand stuns, Brachial or Occipital. The chosen limb for the technique will be distance dependent. If the officer is on the edge of the Reactionary Gap, he/she will respond with the Front Thrust Kick. In close proximity to the assailant, either the Brachial or the Occipital Stun will be the follow up of choice.

The Edged Weapon Defense program has also incorporated the use of the handgun. Blocks of instruction included improving handgun drawing skill and the targeting of the attacker’s pelvis to accomplish "Instant Incapacitation." This term will replace "Deadly Force" on the Resistance Control Continuum. This change in terms is the third change I experienced that week.

Finally, the GAGE program is now the Ground Control program. The avoidance techniques are still taught, but the Cross Body Escape has been removed. Three defensive or escape techniques have been added to the course. The first is to counter act a "smother," when the attacker is in Top Mount and brings their head and shoulder down into direct contact with the supine officer. The second teaches what to use as following techniques should a supine officer roll the attacker off to one side. The third, which I thought was particularly innovative, was something to be used by an officer as a third party should the officer encounter a civilian or another officer being choked while supine.

In keeping with PPCT’s teaching philosophy, the various changes in the two programs utilize techniques that are based upon Gross Motor Skills. The changes in the Edged Weapon Control program have added to the simplicity of the techniques, especially with the removal of the Double Pass when dealing with the High and Low Five Line assaults.

I encourage officers to attend one or both of these two "new" programs. At present, I have one of each scheduled at the Allegheny County Police Training Academy for the current year.