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Forced opening of a detainee’s jaws

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Question

I am submitting this question on the half of a fellow instructor in Europe who is also a serving law-enforcement defensive tactics instructor.

His question to me was how you would prevent a suspect from swallowing contraband.

Answer

This is a question that I’ve been asked many times over the years, and the following will provide outline information on the realities of subjects that intend to swallow anything that could cause them harm or be used as evidence against them.

First of all, if they are fully committed and determined to swallowing say a small bag of contraband and have it in their mouth, it is already too late to stop them.

However if they are concealing such objects and do not want to swallow them, there are a number of ways to make them open their jaws.

Restricting respiration, using pain compliance or stress positions are all means and methods of achieving opening of the jaws.

The issue is many if not all of them may not be deemed lawful or inside service or departmental standard operating procedures. Coming from a military elite close quarters combat tradecraft line such means and methods in my world are valid means and methods of objective achievement.

Experts in military elite close quarters combat involved in all aspects of the tradecraft know the importance of developing training equipment, training weapons as well as operational tools and weapons that provide best means of objective achievement.

Many years ago I developed the pictured On Your Todd, a composite material lightweight robust tool that provides several different threat neutralisation objective achievement capabilities.

It is an effective flail as well as impact striking device and can provide a very effective means of control and restraint in detainee handling by means of pain compliance.

It is also useful as a tool in checking and searching detainees for needles or any sharp edges that could cut or penetrate the searching officer.

In regards to opening and keeping open suspects jaws the On Your Todd simple tool used with correct instructional procedures will not only force the jaws apart but will also ensure they cannot be closed providing the ability to remove a foreign object from the suspects mouth.

There are many such role and duties specific implements and tools as well as tactics and skills to achieve desired operational outcomes in close combat and specialist law-enforcement that can be learnt from qualified instructors.

Article written by Tank Todd

Special Operations CQB Master Chief Instructor. Over 30 years experience. The only instructor qualified descendent of Baldock, Nelson, and Applegate. Former instructors include Harry Baldock (unarmed combat instructor NZ Army WWII), Colonel Rex Applegate OSS WWII and Charles Nelson, US Marine Corps. Tank has passed his Special Forces combative instructor qualification course in Southeast Asia and is certified to instruct the Applegate, Baldock and Nelson systems. His school has been operating for over eighty years and he is currently an Army Special Operations Group CQB Master Chief Instructor. His lineage and qualifications from the evolutionary pioneers are equalled by no other military close combat instructor. His operation includes his New Zealand headquarters, and 30 depots worldwide as well as contracts to train the military elite, security forces, and close protection specialists. Annually he trains thousands of exponents and serious operators that travel down-under to learn from the direct descendant of the experts and pioneers of military close combat. Following in the footsteps of his former seniors, he has developed weapons, and training equipment exclusive to close combat and tactical applications. He has published military manuals and several civilian manuals and produced DVDs on urban self protection, tactical control and restraint, and close combat. He has racked up an impressive 100,000+ hours in close combat.