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Creed in Combative Measures and Police Tactics

by Steven J. Kaplan and Jeffrey A. Kaplan

In previous articles written for Arresting Solutions, the senior author has written on two related topics, The Training Milieu for Taiho-Jutsu, and Approaches in TeachingTaiho-Jutsu. With the junior author, an article titled The Taiho-Jutsu Instructor was written. These articles spoke of the Taiho-Jutsu instructor, and the environment and methods in which Taiho-Jutsu is taught. There is yet another aspect of the art of teaching which plays an important role for both instructor and student of Combative Measures and Police Tactics. This aspect is the Creed.

To elaborate, there are three widely known instructor titles of those teaching recruits in the U.S. Armed Forces: The Drill Sergeant (DS), the Drill Instructor (DI), and the Military Training Instructor (MTI) for the Army, Marines, and Air Force, respectively. In order to achieve this honor, one must generally hold the rank of sergeant, and attend a course of training which includes teaching methods, leadership skills, and meticulous attention to every detail of the recruits’ performance. Each day of the training period for these future instructors averages approximately 15 hours. What is important to keep in mind is that this intense and difficult training is something the servicemen/ servicewomen volunteer for. There is a special form of pride felt in initially being accepted for this training after a deep and careful screening of many areas of the candidate's life and character. This pride grows during the course of training, and even after graduation. At that time, the instructor has additional opportunities to advance in skills, and is awarded service-specific articles of recognition for this. The end result of this process is a DS/DI/MTI who is an exceptional teacher, with the great responsibility of grooming recruits to become effective and productive members of the Armed Forces, each with their own vital responsibilities.

One of the things which helps guide the DS/DI/MTI is the Creed each branch of the services has for their respective instructors, serving as both inspiration and a great source of pride. Following are the Creeds of the Army, Marines, and Air Force.

Army
	"I am a Drill Sergeant.
	I will assist each individual in their efforts to become a highly motivated, well disciplined, physically and mentally fit Soldier, capable of defeating any enemy on today's modern battlefield.
	I will instill pride in all I train. Pride in self, in the Army, and in Country.
	I will insist that each Soldier meets and maintains the Army standards of military bearing and courtesy, consistent with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
	I will lead by example, never requiring a soldier to attempt any task I would not do myself.
	But first, last, and always, I am an American Soldier – Sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
	I am a Drill Sergeant".

Marines
	"These recruits are entrusted to my care.
	I will train them to the best of my ability.
	I will develop them into smartly, disciplined, fit, basically trained Marines, thoroughly indoctrinated in love of Corps and Country.

Air Force
	"The Training Instructor Hat that I wear is a symbol of honor, integrity, and excellence in military deportment.
	My job is one of the most important in the Air Force, and I will spare no effort to properly prepare young men and women for military duty.
	I am dedicated to the principles of fairness, firmness, and honesty in my dealings with those entrusted to my charge.
	I am pledged to strive for perfection and reject mediocrity both in my personal behavior and in the performance of those for whom I am responsible.
	I am an Air Force Military Training Instructor".

Let us now briefly compare this to police tactics training. One goal of the serviceman/servicewoman is to kill an enemy. One goal of the law-enforcement officer is to secure an arrest. While these goals are certainly different, the Police Tactics Instructor (PTI) nevertheless has a responsibility no less important than his/her military counterpart. In addition to providing the officer recruit with techniques which will protect him/herself in the course of duty, and in doing so, protect the public, the officer is taught to protect even the perpetrator under normal conditions and circumstances. The training day is not as long or intense as one finds in the military, with the focus differing somewhat, but the PTI should be able to impart the knowledge to his/her recruits with the same degree of competency as the DS/DI/MTI. The PTI should feel the same sense of pride and importance of the position as the military instructor. Just as the military instructors are "making' Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen/Airwomen, so too is the PTI "making" officers.

As a point of clarification, we are here speaking of the recruit receiving training, and the PTI doing the training in an Academy environment. There is a difference between a police tactics student learning techniques over time in a dojo, even with an exceptional sensei, and an instructor, a working law-enforcement officer (sensei or non-sensei), teaching in a Police Academy setting. The differences may be subtle or overt, but are differences nonetheless.

Since there is indeed a valid comparison between the DS/DI/MTI and the PTI, could there not be a Creed applicable to the PTI, serving as an additional source of pride, inspiration, and guidance? The answer is, in the opinions of the authors, absolutely. Below is a suggested Creed which may be adopted for that purpose.

The Police Tactics Instructor Creed
	I am a Police Tactics Instructor.
	I have a vital responsibility to those I teach.
	I will train them to the highest standard, instilling pride, discipline, professionalism, and integrity.
	I will impart respect to those I teach, and in so doing, will be an example for respect to be shown to the public they are sworn to protect.
	I am a Police Tactics Instructor.

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