What is DRST?
DRST is a defensive tactics system that offers tactics and options to the professional when they encounter active aggression or a deadly force level of resistance. It gives them more control options instead of escalating straight to deadly force.
When a professional encounters and assault at any of these two levels of attack, it requires a dynamic and immediate response from the person being attacked. They must overwhelm the attacker and put them on the defensive. We support the one plus one theory and the resistance / control continuum as published by PPCT Management Systems. The one plus one theory of control states that the professional can immediately move up the continuum to one level of control above the level of resistance being encountered.
In the modern-day profession of law enforcement, corrections, jail/detention officers, EMS, fire and security, things have really changed over the past few years. Attacks on Law Enforcement, Security Officers and all other professionals are at an all-time high and are escalating every day. Unfortunately, deadly force assaults are on the rise and are occurring nearly every day against our officers and security professionals. Our officers need a higher level of training in how to deal with these types attacks and our officers must know how to legally defend themselves. The defensive tactics systems of the past have always been enough, but today officers need a higher level of training.
This defensive tactics system provides you with additional techniques and options when you are fighting for your survival. You are defending against active aggression, which is physical actions of assault that could render you severely injured or unconscious, or deadly force assaults which has a high probability of serious injury and / or death.
Most encounters are much like ordinary social or business contacts. However, in many situations our duties may require us to exert control over people who will not obey the officer’s lawful commands and directions. Our good faith effort is always an attempt to gain voluntary compliance from subjects, but as we know, there is always the possibility of encountering different levels of resistance, requiring different levels of subject control.
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the most skilled officer to gain voluntary compliance, we know that in reality this is just not the world we live in. Sometimes you will have to apply the use of reasonable force to achieve control and accomplish your legitimate Law Enforcement objective.
Kingdom Elite Tactical is a division of Elite Training Specialists, Inc. which is a research-based use of force training company that services the professional communities as well as the civilian industry. ETS, Inc. has developed the Dynamic Response Survival Training defensive tactics program to meet the needs of the modern day professional. In the ETS Dynamic Response Survival Training, you will learn when and how to use acceptable legal force to control the various levels of subject resistance. These techniques are psychomotor skills, which mean that they involve both the brain and muscle memory. For that reason, the techniques taught are all gross motor skill based which you can perform optimally under stress.
The Dynamic Response Survival Training system is dedicated to the advancement of defensive tactics that begins where most DT systems stop, and it fills in the gaps left by other systems. It integrates in easily with all other defensive tactics and only compliments that system by giving the professional techniques to combat the deadliest assaults. It only compliments other DT systems that the officer/ student may have already been trained and certified in through their years of training. We do not retrain the officer; we simply teach them much needed skills that add to their abilities to defend themselves or the public against deadly force attacks.
This system is ideal for everyone from the patrol officer, detention officer, security officer including special teams and units.
Dynamic Response Survival Training is based upon techniques and tactics that are taught all over the world to law enforcement, military, corrections and security services. This system has its roots in the Israeli Defense Forces. Agencies and Departments all over the US and the world are now teaching these techniques.
What Makes Dynamic Response Survival Training different?
Since the beginning of time there has been the need for strategic warfare. There has always been a very special group of individuals given the task of training warriors how to win and how to survive in combat. It is the only recognized profession that trains the student how to protect their lives or the lives of other people by gaining control over and conquering a combatant.
DRST is not just another police defensive tactics system based on traditional martial arts approaches that has been taught for years. It is a modern-day reality-based method of training characterized by the element that it works for all officers regardless of their gender, size or physical conditioning.
Survival skills must be performed under stress, so you must have a system that the techniques are appropriate for the arena of performance where the skills will be applied. The students must be able to learn these skills quickly and develop confidence in the skill quickly. The skills in this system are all gross motor skill based and very easy to learn.
Law Enforcement / Corrections / Security / Military Applications
HANDCUFFING: This training course does not instruct in handcuffing procedures or techniques, unless specifically requested. We understand that every agency and department already have their own approved cuffing methods that are established in policy and procedure. What this course will do is get the professional to the cuffing position where they can apply their approved method of cuffing.
EFFICIENT TRAINING PERIO:. Students attain a high level of proficiency in a short period. This training is easy to learn and easy to teach, and most importantly it is gross motor skill based, which means it works optimally under stress.
RETENTION OF TRAINING: Because this system is based upon common principles and natural/instinctive movements, students are able to retain the techniques with minimal review and the ability to perform them under stress.
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES: The core emphasis of this system is on effectiveness and simplicity. This real-world system provides realistic defenses against a variety of aggressive attacks, whether the assailant is armed or unarmed.
PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS: These training methods are taught at the static level of training first to introduce the student to the technique and to enable them to gain confidence quickly. The student will then train at the fluid level of training where the student will be introduced to a particular stimulus and will respond to that specific stimulus. This will create a conditioned response to a certain stimulus.
Training methods unique to the development of this system provide reality-based training designed to improve the operator's emotional and physical response to danger. These training methods develop the ability to identify threats at the earliest stages, react without hesitation, and escalate or de-escalate with the appropriate level(s) of force. Then the student will move to the third level of training which is the dynamic level of training where they will respond in real life scenarios just as a threat would be in the open motor skill environment of the real world. It is through these training methods that the professional will be able to react without thought with a high level of confidence.
“In a time of great crisis, you will never rise to the level of your expectations, you will always fall to your level of training!”
USE-OF-FORCE ISSUES: DRST enables operators to deal with the most violent offenders they encounter, while remaining acutely aware of reasonable use-of-force and civil liability issues facing law enforcement and military personnel. Dynamic Response Survival Tactics is 100% relevant to modem-day law enforcement because most agencies cannot afford the luxury of prolonged training courses for their personnel. All Use of Force and Civil Liabilities considerations and concerns are taught and addressed in this training. ETS supports the PPCT Resistance / Control Continuum and also supports all the documented tactical, legal and medical research of the PPCT system. The defensive tactics taught in this program will integrate right into existing policy and procedure on active aggression and deadly force assaults.
Instructional Methods of Training:
All Kingdom Elite Tactical training programs are taught to the student in these 3 levels of training.
Static: This is step-by-step and by-the-numbers. This is how you begin to build a neural pathway in the brain. You must build a “conditioned stimulus response”, a specific response to a specific threat.
Fluid: At this level, you begin to put the technique together with a response to a stimulus in a fluid / flowing manner at a “slow is smooth . . . smooth becomes fast” speed.
Dynamic: This is real world speed with no fixed or preplanned attack. That is why you must learn first at the 2 levels mentioned above. At this level, you must be able to perform without thought.
Our Duty as Survival Instructors
We must understand that it is imperative that we instill in each student the confidence required to encounter and defeat these threats. We will teach . . .
1. Warrior Mindset / Connection to Reality
As trainers, we have the responsibility to prepare our students mentally for what to expect when they encounter a deadly force threat. The effects of stress on the human body is one main factor. We must create in our student the mindset that they must win at all costs. Part of this mindset is giving up is not an option.
At Kingdom Elite Tactical, we stress to our students “In a time of great crisis, you will never rise to the level of your expectations, you will always fall to the level of you training”.
2. You must understand the “intent” of the attacker
People seem to forget that whether someone is trying to severely injure us or take our lives, both are qualified as a deadly force attack.
Even though it is hard to recreate an actual attack in training, that does not mean we should not at least do the best we can. After all, our students are literally trusting us with their lives.
When learning the basics of a system, the training must follow the form of an “attacker” and a “defender” being pre-selected. The moves are then choreographed to a certain degree to let the defender win. Then the roles are reversed. This builds motor skill selection and confidence in the warrior then, when put under stress in a more advanced training, they have the foundation to move into more fluid and dynamic scenarios.
3. Technique Selection
As survival instructors we must minimize the number of techniques and response options that are taught. The more techniques and response options that are taught for a specific threat stimulus, the slower the reaction time will be. We must minimize the response options and reaction time.
4. Motivational Factors
Motivating students to practice is as important as developing the technique. A student who is not motivated will leave a course of training without developing any skills. When we introduce a skill, we must immediately demonstrate the need for the skill. Then the student must believe they can learn the skill and immediately have a positive learning experience. By ensuring these factors are present in our training courses, we have motivated students that are eager to learn new skills.
Layout of the Course
We begin each level of the course with a classroom lecture discussing the concepts of situational awareness, reactionary gap/ reaction time, the OODA Loop, the effects of stress on performance, and the law and legalities and the legal aspects of the resistance / control continuum. We will discuss the warrior/ survival mindset and how to effectively read the threats posed in body language. Also taught are the principles of escalation and de-escalation and the appropriate use of each.
We will teach the use of force standards as set forth by the US Supreme Court, including deadly and non-deadly force. We will discuss the criminal and civil aspects of liability to the officer and to the agency; we will discuss the philosophy and mindset of combat and the physiological changes that occur within the mind and body during any close quarter battle situation.
This training course can be structured to meet the limitations or needs of any department, agency, or training center in a 16, 24, 32, or 40 hour training period. This course can be taught consecutively at one time or structured in separate levels taught at separate times.
*Instructor Certification Courses are also offered for each level.
Level 1:
Defensive Countermeasures
Level one will consist of the classroom lecture and the learning and application of strikes, counter strikes, defensive techniques, and escapes from all types of grabs and active assaults.
Examples: wrist grabs - choke holds - bear hugs - head locks - guillotine hold - deadly force holds on the throat and neck - hair grabs - attempted grabs - pushes or pulls from the front and back, control techniques, take-down / grounding techniques
These techniques will be presented and taught so the student will practice from multiple angles for real life scenarios, at the static, fluid and dynamic levels of training. The student will perform stress drills where the participant will perform these simple techniques under simulated stress.
Level 2:
Weapon Disarming
Level 2 will consist of an entire day of weapon disarming of handguns, long guns, and bludgeon type weapons from all possible angles of attack. Again, all disarms and control techniques are instructed at the static, fluid and dynamic levels of training. The training day will end with stress drills with the student performing these simple techniques under simulated stress.
Understand that anytime you are being assaulted with any of the above-mentioned weapons, it is of course a deadly force assault and a deadly force response option would be justified by the professional. However, you would never have a response of going for your weapon as a primary response unless time and circumstances permit. These techniques are taught to give an empty hand response option. Even if you are armed, you never draw on a drawn weapon unless, cover is available. There is just not enough time to give you the ability to do that, unless time and distance give you that option.
As trained operators we must have other survival options that we are skilled with. In many situations going directly to attempt to draw our weapon could be very costly. This course of weapon disarming gives you the tools, tactics and options that allow you to operate in disarming techniques under extreme stress. These tactics are all based in gross motor skill movements.
Basic Course = 16 hours
Instructor Course = 24 hours
Level 3:
Edged Weapon Defense
Level 3 is a two-day training course where the participant will be instructed in defense against and the disarming of an edged weapon attacks at both the static and dynamic level of attacks.
Knife Defense Level 1
At Level 1, you will learn the basics of knife defense.
You will learn how to defend against “static attacks” which means the attacker is not moving or the distance is really close either on the body or in very close proximity.
At this level, the threat is present but more threatening or intimidating on the part of the attacker.
You will learn how to control and disarm the threat.
All of the basics of defeating and controlling a knife threat will be taught at this level.
Knife Defense Level 2
After completing the Level 1 course you are prepared to move on to this Level 2 course.
At this level you are ready to learn the attacks in a fluid and dynamic environment of “stalking” and “spontaneous” attacks.
Having built your foundation at Level 1, this level of training will come to you very quickly. The day will finish up with stress drills to test your abilities. You will leave both levels of training with the confidence and mindset that will carry you through this type of threat.
Basic Course = 2 days
Instructor Course = 3 days
Level 4:
Ground Defense Countermeasures
We call this level P.A.C.E.
Prevent/Avoid/Control/Escape (Ground Defense)
Level 4 instructs students in how to defend and escape if they find themselves on the ground. This is not a ground defense system of submission or any type of sport like wrestling moves.
Prevent and Avoid is the first line of defense when an attacker is attempting to take you to the ground. The student will first be taught how to avoid being taken to the groundand will learn and perform evasion and defensive tactics against an attempt to take them to the ground.
Control and Escape is the second line of defense that the professional will be taught. As statistics show, unfortunately over 50% of all handto hand encounters that professionals are involved in find themselves having to defend themselves on the ground. This training will provide instruction on how to effectively defend yourself if you do find yourself on your back in multiple and various angles of chokes, headlocks, active aggression assaults of being punched, and much more. We will also train the student in how to effectively defend against knife and firearms assaults while on their back or face down in the prone position. The professional will learn how to control the aggression or assault and how to escape and stand back up on their feet.
Basic Course = 2 days
Instructor Course = 3 days
Training Requests:
Any agency or training center may request training in any of these levels as a standalone course. It is our suggestion to teach the Level one (16-hour) Course first, then Levels 2, 3 and 4 in no particular order. The courses can also be selected and taught as stand-alone courses. We certainly understand the restraints and limitations of agencies and departments in their ability to do this. So, Level 1 can be taught in a 2-day training period and then schedule the other levels later on separate training days.
Instructor Courses
All of these Levels are offered as instructor courses also. This way an agency or department can send an officer to receive Instructor certification so they can return and train their own agency or department. For more information on becoming an instructor, click here.