Strategic Self-defense & Gunfighting Tactics

As a Defensive Tactics & Firearms Training System for Criminal Justice, Military Police and Security Officers, Strategic Self-defense & Gunfighting Tactics (SSGT) is dedicated to practical, effective and court defensible techniques and tactics. This system is a leader in addressing the most serious situations officers face in the line of duty. SSGT addresses these situations with the use of objectively reasonable force. SSGT offers tactically documented programs with organized methods of instruction, addressing both officer and subject safety.

Mission Statement
To provide criminal justice, military police and security officers with practical, effective, field proven and legally defensible defensive tactics and firearms training.

SSGT provides the following training:
Defensive Tactics – Vanguard Courses
Defensive Tactics – Edged Weapon Survival
Firearms Training – Precision Rifle, Patrol Rifle and Handgun
Women’s Self-defense – Equalizer Women’s Self-defense Program

Vanguard
The Vanguard Program is an updated version of our flagship program. This is a complete defensive tactics program, currently divided into two levels of instruction and certification addressing a wide variety of issues, scenarios and situations.

Vanguard Level One Instructor Course Training Time: 40 hours
Vanguard Level One Student Course Training Time: Up to 24 hours
Vanguard Level Two Instructor Course Training Time: 40 hours
Vanguard Level Two Student Course Training Time: Up to 24 hours

SSGT Vanguard Level One

Prerequisite – Must be a Certified Law Enforcement, Corrections, Military Police or Security Officer to attend this course.

The SSGT Vanguard Level One Instructor and Student Courses are broken down into seven (7) categories:

1. Common Grab Defense – against wrist grabs, throat grabs, hair grabs and lapel grabs in a standing position.

2. Headlock Defense – against a rear headlock, front headlock and side head-locks both standing & on the ground.

3. Bear-hug Defense – against front over and under the arms and rear over and under the arms.

4. Tackle Defense – against double leg and single leg tackles.

5. Striking & Knife Defense – against various strikes and cutting instruments.

6. Escaping From The Bottom (ground) – escapes from the mounted position and side positions.

7. Controlling A Grounded Subject From The Top – various controlling techniques designed to enable the officer to place the subject into a position for handcuffing.

SSGT Vanguard Level Two

Vanguard Level Two 40-hour Instructor Course Categories

Prerequisite – Must be a Criminal Justice Officer

The SSGT Vanguard Level Two Instructor and Student Courses are broken down into thirteen (13) categories:

1. Strategic Subject Escort – escorting an unrestrained subject and taking the subject down to the ground upon resistance.

2. Pressure Points – applying pressure points in an objectively reasonable manner for the purpose of subject control and compliance.

3. Strategic Handcuffing & Transport – deploying and applying handcuffs to a subject in the standing, kneeling and prone positions. Also, the safe and proper transport procedure of a restrained subject.

4. Strategic Frisk & Search – the safe and proper procedures for frisking and searching a subject.

5. Strategic Striking – the use of personal weapon strikes to prevent or stop aggressive action in an objectively reasonable manner.

6. Holstered Handgun Retention while Standing – against one- and two-handed attacks on the officers handgun from the front and rear.

7. Holstered Handgun Retention while on the Ground- against one- and two-handed attacks on the officers handgun when the officer is on the ground.

8. Drawn Handgun Retention while Standing – against one- and two-handed attacks on the officers handgun in standing situations.

9. Drawn Handgun Retention while on the Ground – from the mounted position and side positions.

10. Long Gun Retention – defending against attacks on an officer’s rifle, shotgun or sub-gun.

11. Long Gun Disarming – front and rear attacks.

12. Handgun Disarming – front and rear attacks.

13. Strategic Baton – the use of a straight or expandable baton in an objectively reasonable manner for the purpose of subject control and compliance.

UPCOMING VANGUARD COURSES

SSGT EDGED WEAPON SURVIVAL

Your Agency Should Have A Knife Policy
In the aftermath of a deadly force encounter wherein an officer justifiably used a knife to defend him/herself, everyone involved will demand to see the agency’s policy. The lack of a policy regarding such a commonly carried weapon can be a significant liability for the officer and the agency.

The vast majority of law enforcement officers in America carry knives and their departments know this. At the same time, the majority of officers have no formal and documented training on the use of a knife as a deadly force weapon. This liability must be addressed in an organized, systematic and legally defensible manner. We can help!

SSGT Edged Weapon Survival Instructor Certification Course
·Reference Text: SSGT Edged Weapon Survival Manual (182 pages)
·Certification Course Length: 24 hours
·Length of Certification: Instructor Certification Valid for three years
·Recertification Course Length: 16 hours
·Exams: Written and Practical Exams Administered

The edged weapon section of this program is divided into nine categories as follows:
Category: 1- Knife Knowledge (26 pages of education about knives);
Category: 2- Knife Grips, Stance, Drawing the Knife and Footwork;
Category: 3- Blade Blocking and Piercing Actions;
Category: 4- Transitions (hands on; to knife; to handgun);
Category: 5- Headlock Escapes (using a knife);
Category: 6- Bear Hug Escapes (using a knife);
Category: 7- Ground Escapes (using a knife);
Category: 8- Defeating the Draw (using a knife);
Category: 9- Close Quarters Edged Weapon Defense.

UPCOMING EDGED WEAPON SURVIVAL COURSES

OUR PHILOSOPHY

A Realistic Approach
We realize that when it comes to Defensive Tactics, there are no foolproof techniques and anything can be defeated. With that in mind, our goal is to teach techniques that, in real-life situations, work for most people, against most people, most of the time. We have rigorously tested every technique we teach to assure each one is effective, easy to learn, and easy to remember. Techniques that work hypothetically and only in ideal conditions have no place in law enforcement training where officer’s lives are on the line. Law enforcement training must be realistic!

This Is Not A Game!
Many in the martial arts community offer programs for law enforcement officers without a thorough understanding of Law Enforcement and the officers that serve. When an officer is attacked, the subject is not trying to win points or make the officer, “tap out.” And, there is always at least one gun in the fight-the officer’s. These facts dictate that law enforcement officers cannot be trained in the same manner as martial arts competitors. Officers have a different set of goals and objectives than competitors and therefore must train with that in mind. Finally, law enforcement trainers know that many officers do not want to train, are not physically fit, and some are not gifted in the area of coordination. These facts, along with limited training time, dictate that whatever we train officers to do, as relates to defensive tactics, must be simple yet effective. Complicated sport martial arts techniques for situations where there is no firearm present are not the answer.

Is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) The Answer?
There is no doubt that many valuable things can be learned from taking MMA, but remember, MMA is a sport and there are rules-no biting, no eye gouging, no hair pulling, no fish-hooking, no groin strikes, and etc. Many of the strategies and techniques used by MMA competitors are developed with “the rules” in mind. Law enforcement officers do have to follow the rules while performing their duties, but a subject who physically attacks an officer will not likely follow anyone’s rules. If an officer is trained in techniques that require the subject to “obey the rules” in order for the techniques to be successful in a physical confrontation, then the officer is likely to be anything but successful. When a law enforcement officer is attacked, it’s not a game!

Repetition Is King
We believe that for a participant to be truly prepared for a physical confrontation, they must first receive quality self-defense instruction in proven techniques. Next, they must perform as many repetitions as time will afford. It is our belief that when it comes to learning self-defense, “Repetition is King.” Dynamic simulation is great, but only after the participants know the techniques thoroughly and can perform them without hesitation. We have used the method of “Repetition is King” with our SSGT program for over ten years. We know it works because SSGT has saved officers’ lives and many more from serious injury in the line of duty.

SSGT FIREARMS

SSGT FIREARMS DIVISION
SSGT has set the standard for excellence in law enforcement training. After numerous requests from the law enforcement community, we are now offering a wide variety of firearms training courses. These courses have been put together by world class warriors with law enforcement officers and the public they serve in mind.

Our trainers are former Special Forces (Green Beret) Operators who have severed as instructors and Program Managers at the JFK Special Warfare Center’s Special Forces Hostage Rescue and Sniper School. These operators have years of real world application in diverse combat environments conducting and refining the principles and skills taught in our courses. The collective lessons learned during these experiences were used by our trainers to rewrite training doctrine and Programs of Instruction for Special Operations Forces. Our trainers have trained and successfully led thousands of U.S. and indigenous forces in countless counter terrorism operations during the Global War on Terrorism.

THE EQUALIZER

THE EQUALIZER WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE PROGRAM
The Equalizer Women’s Self-defense Program (EWSP) is a division of SSGT Defensive Tactics for law enforcement. This program educates women about how to recognize and reduce their risk of being  victimized by violent crime and property crime and how to defend against, survive and escape a physical attack. Many of the self-defense techniques of the EWSP are derived from our highly successful law enforcement self-defense program. The techniques of SSGT are currently being taught to thousands of officers in various states and have been responsible for saving officers from severe injury and death in the line of duty. Our techniques have been proven to work when it counts.