Minimal Force, Maximum Defense

Gulfport Police Focus on ‘100 seconds’ in Tactical Training

By Mike Sunnucks

100 seconds.

That was the goal of defensive tactics training conducted for Gulfport Police officers on Nov. 15.

Local law enforcement personnel were going through certified training throughout the day at the Gulfport Neighborhood Center on 49th Street South.

“This is the annual training for us on defensive tactics,” said Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent. He said 16 officers, approximately half the force, were going through the training while the other half were part of another class. Vincent said the focus of the training was to teach officers how to restrict the movements of suspects, offenders and others with minimal force.

“We are training the cops to detain somebody physically for 100 seconds,” the chief said, adding that “100 seconds” focus centers around how long an office might need to restrain an individual before backup help arrives.

“The idea is to restrict the other person’s movements,” Vincent said in an interview with The Gabber.

Police departments across Florida and the country have been looking at their training and use of force policies in the wake of last year’s social and civil unrest after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin.

Gulfport Police did not allow photographs of the training, citing the need to protect the identities of some personnel.