Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

dameatball

(7,380 posts)
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 07:06 PM Jun 2020

Just musing, re : Buffalo. Crowd control techniques haven't changed much in 1,000 years

For a number of years, I worked in a facility adjacent to another facility that hired and trained police recruits. We shared an open space with the other facility and often observed the trainings when we had occasion to be outside, going home, etc. Usually they started with basic physical fitness. Lots of exercising, some vomiting now and then, the usual stuff. But even early on, they incorporated close order drills and techniques. Advancing in unison. Hoorah! Pushing back, shoulder to shoulder, shields up, although the shields were initially imaginary.
Watching vids from Buffalo, it struck me that things had not changed much since the middle ages. Shield against shield, shield against whomever. Saxons or Danes never stopped to aid the wounded. They only advanced or shattered. This is how our LEOs are trained. It is what is expected. So when a 75 year old man is felled and bleeding, nothing changes. This what is expected. This is what is indoctrinated. This is what WE pay for.
Crush "the enemy" and let the medics follow later. Seems like we would have learned better techniques by now, at least against our own citizens.

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

matt819

(10,749 posts)
1. I was thinking the same thing earlier today
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 07:14 PM
Jun 2020

Shield walls. Described at length in Bernard Cornwall’s Saxon Chronicles series, or as seen in The Vikings on tv.

And yesterday, when demonstrators called for “ “white shield.” We are a laughingstock.

dameatball

(7,380 posts)
6. Right.We all understand the technique, just seems like when it is used to confront our citizens
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 07:45 PM
Jun 2020

we have lost something that should be simple. Rendering aid should not be optional.

dameatball

(7,380 posts)
7. The point of the post was only partly about military technique. More about compassion for our
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 07:52 PM
Jun 2020

own citizens and how we probably should have learned more by now. My bad for not making that clearer. Cool pic of a phalanx though, Cornwell references, etc

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Just musing, re : Buffalo...