Bit of an unusual question (standup grappling)

**Judah Maccabee** · Posted On: 10/15/2006 5:13pm

Originally Posted by meng_mao

I have a question:
How easily is it determined whether the person to be restrained is intent on only hurting you, or only hurting himself? Do you have a policy stating that you should assume they could try to hurt themselves at any moment, for safety.

If you somehow knew they would not hurt themselves, couldn't you just try your best to defend yourself with a tight guard and circling?

I think if they would hurt themselves, it's much harder to deal with.

It's dependent on the individual, from my understanding (keep in mind I just started there). Some individuals pitch a fit and do HULK SMASH on tables and such, but they don't actually break anything or hurt themselves. However, there ARE some people who do headbanging and some people who are more aggressive than others. If they escalate it to the point that they will cause harm to themselves or others, then that's the point when there is a physical intervention - for example, if they try to push around other residents.

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Johnny - I'm actually an instructor in a part of the facility that should be fairly calming for the residents - a multisensory environment that lets them get sensory experiences in a healthy way. In terms of my primary duties, I don't expect this to come up much, but it may be an issue outside of my primary duties, like if I accompany residents on a field trip.

That's damned good advice, and the CPI manual basically teaches that any kind of restraint has to be done with minimum 2 people, preferably 3. My question was more along the lines of "I'm a first responder, while help is on the way, what could I do?"

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 10/16/2006 2:41am

tazer,you can claim it is theraputic.

**OldDog53** · Posted On: 10/16/2006 10:43am

Don't tell them you practice any martial arts. Forget you practice any martial arts. The legal liability in your setting is just too great to "volunteer" in any way whatsoever.

Don't be a first responder. If you can't avoid it (for example, you were already there when an episode starts) don't try at all to subdue them. Just stay out of their way, cover up, and let THEM bruise YOU (it's a lot better to look like the victim). Gradually, let the other attendants "show you the way" on what's appropriate and what's not. You aren't there to be an orderly (restrainer) just to be an instructor.

Your training is probably most valuable in being able to cover up and worm out of bear hugs and grips. "Evade."

**maurice** · Posted On: 10/16/2006 1:05pm

Yeah, arm drag to the back is your friend. Hold them down until help arrives, and look out for scratching and biting.

This is the same advice I gave my wife when she worked at an in-patient mental health facility. It served her well.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 10/16/2006 1:20pm

Originally Posted by Samurai Steve

My question was more along the lines of "I'm a first responder, while help is on the way, what could I do?"

Secure the area while waiting for backup.

**chaosexmachina** · Posted On: 10/16/2006 9:08pm

When I was working as a security guard at the hospitals here in Calgary, I had to restrain a few people. Nobody very strong, but these are the techniques I used...

When a guy tried to leave the hospital, which he's not supposed to do yet, I just got behind him and bodylocked him (not before he had me in a loose guillotine... lol). I guess he decided it wasn't worth the effort and went back in. Another time, a guy tried to leave... I used a wristlock which turned into a kimura when he fell (or dropped on purpouse, I'm not sure) to the ground. He was real pissed off about that one. He wanted to smoke.

The other time's I had to restrain someone, I had help. And we were using actual (magnetic locking) restraints to tie her (a big, big girl with a learning disability) down to a chair..