| What can we learn from the tragic deaths of two | | | | training for auxiliary officers. While many view close |
| young volunteer police officers? | | | | combat training only useful for military personnel, |
| It is not easy to be emergency services anywhere, | | | | many of the tactics were indeed developed for law |
| but in New York City it takes a special breed. | | | | enforcement activities. |
| In the past few months, lone police officers have | | | | Even in medieval Japan, the samurai who practiced |
| had to deal with shootouts, stabbings, riots, and | | | | Jujutsu spent much of their time performing law |
| unruly protesters. While events like these are all in | | | | enforcement duties. They understood not every |
| the line of duty in New York City, they shockingly | | | | situation could be settled with swords when dealing |
| routine. | | | | with a hostile population, and Jujutsu was effective |
| What should never be part of the routine though is | | | | even against an armored opponent. |
| the deaths of police officers. On the evening of | | | | Another great contributor to police close combat |
| March 15, 2007, the city lost two of its bravest in a | | | | training was William E. Fairbairn. A British police officer |
| hale of gunfire. | | | | in the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP), Fairbairn |
| That night they proved they had courage, but lacked | | | | worked his way up from patrolmen to commissioner |
| training. | | | | during the city's most violent period. |
| Buried with full honors, the greatest tribute to their | | | | Having fought in over six-hundred street fighting |
| courage can be improved close combat training. | | | | battles and receiving his black belt in Judo at the |
| Nobody is exactly sure what David Garvin's | | | | Kodokan, Fairbairn went on to write the close |
| motivation was for the brutal shooting that started | | | | combat classic Defendu to help police officers. Meant |
| the killing spree, but it is clear he was ready for a | | | | for self-defense it concentrated on disarming and |
| fight. He was carrying two semiautomatic firearms | | | | restraining opponents, but allowed for lethal force |
| and over one hundred rounds of ammunition. | | | | when necessary. |
| Unfortunately auxiliary officers Nicholas Todd | | | | The New York City police department has to adapt |
| Pekearo, 28, and Eugene Marshalik, 19, who were | | | | its auxiliary program or events like what happened |
| first to respond, were only armed with radios. When | | | | March 15, 2007 will inevitably happen again. |
| they ordered Garvin to drop his bag he complied, but | | | | Garvin had already killed one unarmed man by the |
| then realized they were unarmed and took off. | | | | time he encountered the officers, so in his mind the |
| The officers gave chase, but Garvin turned on them | | | | only option left was to fight. If the auxiliary officers |
| and shot Marshalik in the back of the head and shot | | | | had been taught even the most basic of close |
| Pekearo repeatedly after diving behind a car for | | | | combat methods they could have overtaken the killer |
| cover. Armed police officers arrived quickly and | | | | when they first confronted the criminal. |
| engaged Garvin who died trying to make a stand in a | | | | The 4,500 brave men and women that serve as |
| store. As with any in the line of duty deaths | | | | auxiliary police officers in New York City deserve |
| questions are raised about what could have been | | | | better then to be cut down in the street. Regardless |
| done to prevent such a tragedy. | | | | of whether police personnel are volunteer or paid |
| Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly spoke well of the | | | | they must be given the same training because they |
| fallen officers and promised he would reexamine the | | | | share the danger. |