The current Defensive Tactics curriculum was developed in 1998 and was based on an extensive study conducted of actual use of force instances to determine patterns of combative interactions by the Los Angeles Police Department back in 1998. The arrest and control curriculum seeks to develop skills for police officers to physically control persons in a manner that promotes officer safety and minimizes the potential for injury. This instills techniques for a variety of contacts ranging from routine compliant persons, to violently resistive persons. This curriculum does not change existing Department use of force policy.
This curriculum integrates a comprehensive arrest and control set of skills with split-second decision making, while integrating various levels of force in a way easily understood by the officers. The arrest and control skills are taught in such a way that they flow naturally, allowing an officer to shift from one technique or control hold to another.