| While some see Driving While Illegal (DWI) as | | | | When an officer approaches a vehicle he doesn't |
| another issue in the illegal immigration debate, for | | | | know what he's going to encounter, and if the |
| police officers around the country it is just | | | | situation doesn't quickly come under his control it |
| another potential danger. Every time a police | | | | can be deadly. In 2006 alone 15 officers died from |
| officer gets out of a cruiser for a routine traffic | | | | being hit by cars and another 45 died in auto |
| stop, he or she isn't safe until it is over. | | | | accidents, according to the National Law |
| The Town of Framingham, Massachusetts, located | | | | Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. An officer is |
| twenty miles west of Boston, was recently in the | | | | all alone and even if help is minutes away a lot |
| news when a local paper profiled an illegal | | | | can happen, and weapons can quickly become |
| immigrant who says he lives in fear of being pulled | | | | irrelevant. Officers need an advantage in a close |
| over by police and the ensuing possibility of | | | | quarters combat (CQC) situation, and combat |
| deportation. Sure he's in the country illegally, | | | | martial arts can give them that advantage. |
| employed illegally, and driving with an expired | | | | Being a police officer has to be one of the |
| foreign driver's license, but he was painted as the | | | | hardest jobs in the world. For the men and |
| victim. Millions of illegal immigrants take to the | | | | women who put on the uniform it is a daily |
| roads every day, which is dangerous enough; to | | | | struggle; they have to be both a friendly public |
| make matters worse, there are also violent | | | | servant and a vigilant warrior, and for all those |
| criminals within the subculture. A traffic stop puts | | | | who praise them there are many relentless critics. |
| officers in a dangerous close combat situation, and | | | | For police officers it is about enforcing the law |
| only real combat self defense can protect them. | | | | and protecting the community, and the best way |
| Police officers represent the state, and illegal | | | | to do that is to use self defense training that lets |
| immigrants have already shown they have no | | | | them take a suspect down quickly. If an |
| respect for our government or laws. Combine this | | | | experienced officer sees a situation beginning to |
| disrespect with the fear of being deported and a | | | | deteriorate, he or she needs self defense training |
| traffic stop could turn into a volatile situation. While | | | | to take control of the situation quickly and |
| traffic stops have always been dangerous, the | | | | effectively. Police officers don't have the option to |
| illegal immigrant issue provides us a chance to | | | | run away like civilians, and giving the bad guys the |
| review tactics and training for full time and | | | | first shot isn't an alternative either. A traffic stop |
| auxiliary police officers. Proactive self defense is | | | | is just another dangerous part of a cop's routine; |
| the best way to prevent injuries and the | | | | with the right training, though, they can all make it |
| escalation of violence. | | | | home at the end of their shifts. |