Rookie Tulsa Police Officers Trained For Deadly Situations

Nearly 10 percent of the officers who die in this country are killed with their own weapon. Officers call them gun grabs and say when you&#39;re fighting with a suspect that gets a hold of your weapon, it&#39;s terrifying. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12064215" target="_self">Tulsa Police Officers, Victim Identified In Fatal Shooting</a>

Tuesday, March 2nd 2010, 7:08 pm

By: News On 6


By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A man was shot and killed last Friday in Tulsa after he tried to pull an officer's gun out of its holster during a fight.

Nearly 10 percent of the officers who die in this country are killed with their own weapon. Officers call them gun grabs and say when you're fighting with a suspect that gets a hold of your weapon, it's terrifying.

Fights are chaotic and stressful, so they put rookies through training that is as true to life as possible. It's one of the final stages of defensive tactics training for new officers. 

One of the keys to success is for officers to stay in shape with strength and conditioning. Next, is learning wrestling, grappling and striking skills.

"We're talking about officers defending their gun against a violent assault, it's extremely physical," said Sgt. Virgil Litterell, Tulsa Police.

Officers trying to retain their gun have to control a lot of other things during the struggle, so they have to learn how to fight while on their feet, on their backs and to keep the upper hand.

Generally, the kind of person hired to be a police officer isn't a brawler, so this is often their first experience with close combat and it's much different than on TV.

"It's very easy when you watch it, your favorite MMA fight or boxing, and say ‘just do that,' but it's easy to say and hard to do when you're the man there trying to accomplish it," said Sgt. Litterell.

Sgt. Litterell says people don't appreciate that even if an officer is big and strong, it doesn't always mean victory.

"An officer may have strength and size and run up against a smaller guy with wrestling skills and it's not a fair fight, not even," said Sgt. Litterell.

The officer fighting for his gun last Friday is 6'4", 270 pounds and has many years of experience on the job.

3/1/2010  Related Story: Tulsa Police Officers, Victim Identified In Fatal Shooting

Officer holsters are designed to keep bad guys from just pulling them out. The rookies are taught very specific techniques to keep their guns in place. 

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