The New Lateral Vascular Neck Restraint

Dojo Rat has a post up of a video showing a security officer choking out an offender. Ten years ago I used to work in the prisons and we had to certify in the PPCT system. I’ve blogged about it before and I see that PPCT has updated their site. DR makes mention of “serious liability issues” and he’s spot on. More on that in a second…

At that time the so-called legally safe techniques they taught us were the lateral vascular neck restraint (LVNR) and the brachial stun. The LVNR as taught to me involved slipping your left arm under your opponent’s left and coming across their chest. Then you bring your right arm around from behind. You lock or grab your right side of your right wrist with your left hand and drive the bony point of your right inside wrist into their neck. If you get it locked in you are in such a position that they cannot strike you. (slightly to the back of them with their left arm now sticking up in the air and their right out of range) Depending on how it’s applied it can be a pain compliance hold or a knock-out. I’ve used it for pain compliance and I’ve seen it used to knock an inmate out. If you get it locked in it will work.

Upon posting at DR’s site I found these videos from this site:

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

The New LVNR® is the number one law enforcement system of neck restraint–standing, kneeling or on the ground.

This “new” LVNR is vastly different than what I was taught ten years ago. It’s essentially a blood choke that is taught in many martial arts. Notice that pressure can be applied to either side of the neck which restricts blood flow. Also, to the untrained eye it looks like a choke to the esophagus but it is not.

As for the brachial stun, it is essentially is a technique that overloads the brain with sensory input that can result in a knockout or semi-consciousness. In this technique, the forearm or top of the fist is driven into the cluster of sensory nerves on either side of the opponent’s neck. This results in a “mental stun” that will allow you to regain control of the situation with a low likelihood of injuring the opponent. When we were taught this the instructor’s explained that it was much safer from a lawsuit standpoint than a ridge hand or knife edge strike to the neck. (these tend to break vertebrae)

Again, this one works. I saw it in action on inmates. Also, the trainers used to show us a video of a correctional officer who willingly sat in a chair while someone much smaller hit him with a brachial stun. It knocked him out splendidly.

Back to PPCT…

Most of the self defense systems that are taught to law enforcement or corrections are built around a use of force continuum.

• When the use of force is reasonable and necessary, officers should, to the extent possible, use an escalating scale of options and not employ more forceful means unless it is determined that a lower level of force would not be, or has not been, adequate. The levels of force that generally should be included in the agency’s continuum of force include: verbal commands, use of hands, chemical agents, baton or other impact weapon, canine, less-than-lethal projectiles, and deadly force.

• Each situation is unique. Good judgment and the circumstances of each situation will dictate the level on the continuum of force at which an officer will start… It is not the intent of this policy to require officers to try each of the options before moving to the next, as long as the level of force used is reasonable under the circumstances.

The idea being that the “good guys” should not cause any more harm than is needed to the offender. Consequently this also protects the police or correctional officers from lawsuits. (i.e., you might get sued but if you followed the guidelines you’ll likely win the suit)

Unfortunately all the rules often put the police or correctional officer at a disadvantage.

~BCP

[tags]martial arts, law enforcement, corrections[/tags]