Today we had our defensive tactics practical test. We each had to fight our instructors. They wore us out with repeat practices first, then it was fight for your life. All mixed martial arts that we have been practicing for the past 2 months. It was all out with (almost no) restrictions. We wore sparing protection thank goodness. That lasted 5 hours.
After that ... we had Taser certification. It was 3 hours of instruction, a written test, and then a practical test where we fired Tasers and proved competence. Following that, we were given the option of "taking the ride."
I wavered at first, but then went ahead for the experience. The experience allows one to be able to testify in court on the effects of a Taser hit. The Taser shoots 2 barbed prongs with a wire attached. The officer can control the length of time the voltage is applied . The automatic shut-off is five seconds. It can be reactived for another 5 or it can be shut-off before the full 5 seconds is up.
In training, two officers hold you while a third shoots you from behind at about 12 feet away. We all took the full 5 second ride.It sucks! It is like being electrocuted. All your muscles lock-up and you cannot move at all. 5 seconds seems like an eternity. But after the thing shuts off, you are immediately okay. No residual effects at all. The only thing that remains is yanking the barbs out. You cannot feel that because that area is totally numb.
With the Taser Certification course, it was a 12.5 hour day.
Hows that for a birthday treat?
