If you’ve done much Defensive Tactics (DT) training, you’ve probably heard trainers or instructors say things like “Our program teaches principles,” or “We’re principle-based,” or the extra-impressive “We use principles of science.” (That last one probably just means gravity and leverage—but hey, it sounds great). Whatever the wording, in my many years in the LE training world, I have found that the term “principles” is often misused.
In the context of defensive tactics, a principle is the overarching concept that guides decision-making during a confrontation. A strong tactical principle is timeless and versatile—that is, it’s applicable to a variety of situations and scenarios. A technique, on the other hand, is the method or movement used to apply that principle. Understanding this difference is crucial when building your department’s lesson plans.
Students who grasp principles can adapt effectively under pressure—even if a specific tactic or technique doesn’t go as planned. In ASP training, we refer to this adaptability as “forgiving technique,” meaning it is:
· Easy to recall under stress
· Applicable in many situations
· Effective for any officer—regardless of age, athleticism, or experience
· Flexible in sequence
· Suitable for all environments
Principles also tend to be easier to remember than trying to recall hundreds of individual techniques. There’s a good comparison to be made with music: someone who memorizes chords can play some songs… but a musician who understands music theory can play anything.
A real-world example: safe separation
Take the principle of safe separation—establishing and maintaining two arms’ length distance from a subject during an interview. An officer may need to create this space quickly if a subject becomes aggressive. But when we talk about creating distance with officers in a training environment, the conversation often devolves to:
“Well, I would do this…”
“I train to do that…”
“If he moves left, I do this. If he moves right, I do that…”
And so on. An endless cycle of ideas and opinions and points-of-view on tactics, while the foundational principle—controlling distance—gets lost.
Again, a principle explains what matters and why it matters. A technique is how that principle is manifested in action. In the case of training safe separation, We teach three simple forgiving techniques (as outlined above) to turn this principle into action.
It doesn’t matter the tactic—the principle remains the same
ASP teaches a way—not the only way.* What we’ve learned is that training must be safe and scalable. Whether you’re teaching 100 students or just one, your principles need to be sound and your techniques need to work. They must also be proven on the street and court-defensible. And you shouldn’t need months or years to master them. In-service time is limited. Use it wisely.
When designing your DT lesson plans, start with the principle you want to emphasize. Support it with effective, easy-to-learn techniques to drive that point home.
*ASP offers tuition-free police training that’s been tested in the real world for decades. We’ve done the heavy lifting so you and your agency don’t have to.
