The system was developed and implemented in 2000 for law enforcement, security, and military personnel, L.O.C.K.U.P.® is an acronym which means Law Officers Combat Kinetics Unarmed Panoply – The complete array of skills for the modern-day Guardian). This program teaches arrest and control maneuvers for all levels of physical resistance and aggression. With a primary focus on techniques for UNARMED police engagements, L.O.C.K.U.P.®, developed from over 60 years of combined law enforcement and martial arts training, combines dynamic arrest and control tactics with basic combat skills and applications. The result is that police, security, and military personnel can better protect themselves and the public they are sworn to serve.
KFD Training and Consultation LLC offers a variety of lectures, empty-hand and weapons-based training courses designed for law enforcement, corrections, military, security audiences. All “L.O.C.K.U.P. ®” training programs share the following important characteristics. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® System is to safely, quickly and successfully control and secure an arrested person. The System was conceived, developed and is taught to achieve that result. It is supported by PROVEN PRACTICES, (quantifiable evidence) court tested, defendable and retainable for the officer.
L.O.C.K.U.P. ® is currently the only standard police arrest and control (Defensive Tactics) system accepted in the state of Connecticut and has also been taught in more than 20 other states within the United States and four additional countries. Developed and spearheaded by Lieutenant Kevin Dillon (Ret), a 25-year veteran law enforcement officer, close-quarter combat and martial arts expert, L.O.C.K.U.P. ® training courses are available throughout North America and worldwide to qualified law enforcement, military, and security professionals. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® is fully consistent with the principles and legal guidelines established for police use of force.
L.O.C.K.U.P. ® teaches reliable and retainable empty hand maneuvers that can be effectively deployed by trained personnel during violent physical altercations. It adapts specific arrest and control maneuvers to fit an officer’s physical and physiological change during these altercations, thus maximizing the effectiveness of the controlling movements. Incorporating numerous police arrest and control concepts, techniques, and maneuvers, L.O.C.K.U.P. ® is not based on any particular martial art or fighting system. It is specifically designed for law enforcement to meet the needs of today’s “officer on the street” who receives limited training, wears restrictive uniforms and body armor, and is bound by laws, regulations, and ethical values.
The FBI National Academy Associates – 2022 Science and Innovation Award was presented to Lt. Kevin Dillon (ret) internationally recognized law enforcement speaker and trainer.
The selection committee unanimously selected Lt. Dillon’s L.O.C.K.U.P. Arrest and Control Training and L.E.A.D.S. Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies Training Systems over all other nominees as the recipient of the award. The L.O.C.K.UP. training differentiated itself from other Defensive tactics programs being instructed throughout the country. L.O.C.K.U.P. is not a technique-based training system but the emphasis is on the actual collection of data on the use of force incidents, and detailed reporting to determine the effectiveness and needs assessments of the officers on the street. The L.E.A.D.S. De-escalation is fully integrated and interleaved with the L.O.C.K.U.P. Arrest and Control System. The training is designed to address circumstantial, contextual, or situational engagements.
FBI National Academy Associates – Charitable Foundation AwardThe L.O.C.K.U.P. ® Program is a complete police arrest and control system with FULL integration with the following:
L.E.A.D.S. Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies
Effective Communication Skills for De-Escalation
The training first focuses on effective verbal communication and de-escalation skills to defuse hostile encounters. Officers are instructed in
the concepts of L.E.A.D.S. – Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies developed by Lieutenant Kevin Dillon (Ret). The L.E.A.D.S. program is another nationally recognized program developed and implemented by Lt. Kevin Dillon (Ret). The L.E.A.D.S. program was developed in 2008 and has been instructed to officers across the United States and have been reviewed and approved by the United State Department of Justice. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® training instructs officers how to assess a situation, prior to engagement, by reading body language, detecting verbal cues, identifying pre-attack indicators for signs of resistance and aggression. Officers learn how strategically assess, tactical responses such as re-location strategies, tactical stalling for backup, and if necessary take the first action to immediately control the engagement before it escalates to higher levels of force. With de-escalation being a “hot” topic, law enforcement has been de-escalating since the time of the badge, what they have not been doing is documenting it. If it’s not in the report – it didn’t happen, so officers are also instructed how to document the de-escalation attempts and successes within their reports.
Arrest and Control Combat Maneuvers and Techniques
L.O.C.K.U.P. ® teaches dynamic arrest and control maneuvers along with core combative controlling skills and applications. These maneuvers simplify the takedown process by teaching officers ways to manipulate the body and skeleton of a combatant. In addition, officers learn new ways to control resisters and attackers while also learning to defend against assorted weapons attacks in “real world” situations. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® also teaches exclusive techniques based on the physical and physiological changes the human body experiences before, during, and after a fight. With this knowledge, an officer can maximize effectiveness by employing the appropriate techniques that match his/her body’s identified physiological changes.
L.O.C.K.U.P. ® is not a generic defensive tactics program. It is a complete arrest and control law enforcement-based combat system designed for decisive strategies and immediate control of suspects demonstrating resistance or aggression. This methodology has been proven to be effective. Immediate control by decisive force techniques greatly reduces the chances of a physical engagement escalating to higher levels of force. Decisive does not mean excessive. It means immediate control, thus reducing injuries to civilians and officers.
Drilling for Proficiency
L.O.C.K.U.P. ® training teaches how, through a system of realistic and challenging drills, to develop proficiency. Throughout military and police history, drilling has proven to be the most effective way to train personnel to respond to highly stressful situations. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® simulates these stressful situations and trains personnel through repetitive drilling. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® follows the newest science when it comes to the development of rapid skill acquisition.
Contextual Training
It has been proven that training in the arena in which you will perform greatly enhances recall and performance. Wearing full belt gear, officers are introduced to numerous simulated environments that train them in identifying and adjusting to different surroundings and responses. L.O.C.K.U.P. ® is not a gymnasium, stage or lecture program. Some “real world” environments that officers are exposed to during drilling are:
- low light conditions,
- low light with flashing red and blue lights,
- chaotic scenes,
- multiple surfaces with audible distractions,
- slick surface environments,
- multiple suspect drills,
- energy depletion drills, and
- much more.
The more realistic the training, the longer the retention period, resulting in success when used in real life situations.
“For how you train…so shall you fight.”®
“This program provides a reasonable dynamic threat response variable under safe, relevant and realistically high street encounter situations…”
Reginald Allard Jr. 13thjuror, LLC Police Consultant/Expert Witness
Strategies for Success
L.O.C.K.U.P.® focuses on law enforcement strategies and tactics for street deployment. Far too often officers find themselves at a disadvantage and physically fighting with resistant or aggressive suspects who are larger, younger and more committed. Numerous street response strategies to use before being attacked are discussed and practiced in training to identify potential threats. Strategies are the key to success when responding to resistance and aggression. Signs of human aggression, such as body language and pre-attack indicators, are added to the scenario based exercises to enhance the training objectives.
EXPERT REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
Statement of Tactical Soundness
The L.O.C.K.U.P.® Police Combat System has been fully reviewed and analyzed for tactical soundness by a National Law Enforcement Expert Company. The 11 page review document identifies human factors and the legal aspects involved in law enforcement training. There are multiple cases cited to support this extensive report. “This program provides a reasonable dynamic threat response variable under safe, relevant and realistically high street encounter situations…” A full copy of the report is available upon request.
Statement of Legal Soundness
The L.O.C.K.U.P.® System was fully reviewed by a practicing senior assistant state’s attorney for legal soundness and application. The system was found to fall within current statutes and case law relating to acceptable force in law enforcement activities. “I can state that the training being offered by KFD Training and Consultation LLC and the L.O.C.K.U.P.® Police Combat System falls within acceptable parameters regarding use of force.”
Louis J. Luba, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney
Statement of Medical Soundness
The L.O.C.K.U.P. ® System has been fully reviewed by practicing medical professionals for medical soundness for both training elements as well as street deployment. The system was found to be medically sound and applicable for today’s law enforcement arrest and control system.
“When the above techniques are performed properly, they are safe and reliable. The techniques utilize gross skeletal manipulation of the assailant. Normal joint motion is used for the manipulation and no vital structures are attacked. The police officer uses his/her balance, momentum, and learned technical skills to apply force as needed. Injury is very unlikely… All police and military personnel should be trained in these or similar techniques.”
Charles L. Castiglione, MD, FACS
Assessment of Success
“The agency has an excellent self defense training program which has contributed greatly to their success in low usage of less lethal impact weapons during this accreditation period.” Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA®) Executive Summary of a CALEA® L.O.C.K.U.P.® system. 2003—2006