News : Area Officers Train others the art of Self Defense

By Bethany Gates, Correspondent

This past Saturday, over 40 people attended the free self-defense class presented by officers from the Benton County Sheriff's Office, Urbana Police Department, Belle Plaine Police Department, and the Vinton Police Department (see photos here and here).

Vinton Police Department’s Captain Dickinson presented information on body language and recognizing potential aggressors; trusting…and acting upon...your instincts when you feel unsafe; legal ramifications of using force in a self-defense situation; and common sense practices to include in your day-to-day routine.

Captain Dickinson’s presentation was followed by the opportunity to learn and practice hands-on defensive skills. This portion of the event was presented by Deputy Josh Karsten, of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Karsten presented techniques based on Commando Krav Maga, an Israeli-based martial art.

In addition to Captain Dickinson and Deputy Karsten, Reserve Officer for the Urbana Police Department Josh Baker, Benton County Deputy Garrison Reekers, Belle Plaine Police Officer Jared Daily, and Vinton Police Officer Katie Schimerowski assisted with the presentation and hands-on training.

Captain Dickinson, when asked why they decided to hold this event, said:

“Deputy Karsten has done some similar trainings in the area over the last couple years through his business, CKM Midwest, but I believe that this was the first such training sponsored by area law enforcement agencies, as opposed to a private business, in several years. Josh and I had discussed the idea of a local training off and on for a little while but I think both of our agencies have had several requests for the training in the wake of the Mollie Tibbets case. I think the desire for this training is evident too based on how quickly our class filled with 50 registrations (less than 72 hours) and the fact that we had more than 20 people on the waiting list.”

When asked if there had been an increase in recent years in abductions and murders, especially of women, Captain Dickinson had this to say:

“Regarding statistics, I would refer you to a press release that was issued by the Iowa Department of Public Safety on 07/27/18 after incomplete information began rapidly circulating on the internet regarding the number of missing persons in Iowa. You can find that press release HERE. You can also look at the website for the Iowa DPS’s Missing Person Information Clearinghouse. The numbers typically represent the number of reports taken which include runaways (usually returning home in less than 24 hours) and adults who don’t want to be contacted by the reporting party and leave without telling them. In sum, there is not a rash of abductions going on in Iowa but 24 hour news cycles and social media tend to make it appear as if they are happening all the time. We also see this phenomena with other crimes and disasters too where the perception of frequency is much worse than the reality.”

When asked, Captain Dickinson gave his top three safety tips for people to put into their regular routine, and recommended the following:

“1. Be aware of what is going on around you anytime you are out in public. One of the biggest problems nowadays effecting situational awareness are electronic devices and not just in a “texting while driving” way. Too many people have their faces buried in their phones (often with earphones inserted) instead of watching and listening to people around them, traffic passing by, etc. You can do a quick Google search for “distracted cell phone users” and find an extensive compilation of videos showing people who are not at all aware of their surroundings.

2. Seek education & training. Read books such as ‘The Gift of Fear’, by Gavin DeBecker, and ‘When Violence Is the Answer’, by Tim Larkin. Play through likely scenarios in your head that are realistic for your home/work environment, your level of skill and your anticipated threats. If you carry any weapons or obtain any training in physical tactics like those that Deputy Karsten teaches, you must practice regularly if you want to respond effectively using those weapons or techniques under stress.

3. Be prepared….not paranoid. There is a fine line between being prepared and being paranoid. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for any confrontation. Be vigilant but don’t get to the point where you are hyper-vigilant and actually think that everyone you come into contact with intends to cause you harm. The fact is that most people are good but we have to be prepared to deal with the small percentage of predators out there. Oftentimes, your preparedness and vigilance will be detectable very quickly upon contact and an offender may decide to find an easier target or you will have picked up on danger signs that will convince you to get away.”

Captain Dickinson says they will be hosting a second training event at the end of this month, in addition to the already scheduled Situational Awareness & Self-Defense Class for home visitation service providers and interested community members (find that information here).