HPD employs PPCT to subdue suspects

By Staff
Eighth in a series
Jill Copeland, Hartselle Enquirer
Confronting a suspect can be a dangerous, unnerving, and challenging experience for a police officer. Training plays an important role in a police officer’s ability to handle each situation.
The Hartselle Police Department employs techniques developed by Bruce Siddle to gain control of any uncooperative suspect, causing less injury to the officer or the suspect. PPCT (Pressure Point Control Tactics) has been legally, medically, and tactically proven many times to be a safe and effective tool. When someone is resisting arrest, PPCT helps “convince by physical means to comply,” according to Sgt. Randy Adams.
The Hartselle Police Department Citizens Academy (HPDCA) learned that officers must train for at least 40 hours in PPCT before it can be used in the field. The system involves very precise strikes on pressure points, causing temporary paralysis, giving the officer time to restrain the suspect. PPCT is used only when it is necessary, and the force used will vary depending on the actions of the suspect.
Sgt. Robby Robinson expressed his daily goal to the class, “I want to get home at the end of the day. I want to see my family. PPCT helps me reach that goal.”