Category: Weapon/Implement

The Norway Incident: Cop charged with assault after failing to control on the ground

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Bystanders and the court of public opinion

The failure of wristlocks and armbar takedowns

News coverage of the incident from Norway:

On October 30, Kevin Simensen, a 26-year-old man, was subjected to violence by the police. Initially, no one believed his account, but new surveillance footage has emerged that supports his claims.

The footage shows a police officer in his 30s repeatedly striking Simensen outside a gas station in Kongsberg. This video has gained significant attention recently. TV2 has also obtained another video that shows what happened immediately after the first surveillance footage. Simensen believes this second video was taken after he was pepper-sprayed and before his friend Kristian was hit with a baton.

Due to the surveillance footage, the case has taken a turn. The officer has been charged with violence and gross negligence in the line of duty. The police chief, Ole Sæverud, stated that the charged officer has not been in active duty since the video came to light.

Both Simensen and his friend Kristian Teigen appreciate the media attention the case is getting. They believe it’s crucial for people to realize that such incidents do happen in Norway. Teigen also mentioned that the police deleted some of the footage they had initially captured.

Simensen, who has been dealing with PTSD since the incident, is slowly reintegrating into society. He had previously served with NATO in the Mediterranean for six months.

The officer’s lawyer, Gry Schrøder Berger, stated that the video doesn’t show the entire sequence of events and that her client is currently struggling emotionally.

The case is now pending court evaluation.

https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/innenriks/ny-video-av-politivolden-foler-meg-makteslos/15697249/

The Buskerud District Court ruled that the officer’s use of force against Kevin Simensen was lawful. The officer had been accused of gross bodily harm after forcibly restraining Simensen, who was pepper-sprayed and hit multiple times with both a baton and a fist.

The ruling was not unanimous; one of the judges dissented, arguing that the officer’s actions were not in line with the police law’s guidelines on the use of force. The court’s majority opinion emphasized that Simensen did not cease resisting arrest and that the officer had little time to consider alternative actions.

The Special Unit for Police Affairs, which had been prosecuting the case, stated that they would review the court’s reasoning before deciding on whether to appeal. Kevin Simensen and his legal team expressed disappointment with the verdict, stating that it could further erode public trust in the legal system.

Ole Sæverud, the Police Chief in Kongsberg, has not yet commented on whether the acquitted officer will return to duty. He mentioned that the officer is currently suspended and that they would need to thoroughly review the verdict before making any decisions.

https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/innenriks/politimann-frikjent-i-kongsberg-saken/15877423/

Baseball bat disarm in road rage incident

Bludgeoning weapons like baseball bats are lethal, but it’s quite possible to nullify that force by closing the distance. They need some room to swing and get the full effect.

Might seem counter-intuitive, but it’s better to move in than back away and stay in the range they need.

Police Taser man who took hostages on tram

Police in Australia recently stopped a man who had taken the passengers of a tram hostage while armed with a knife.

When police arrived it started with a contain and negotiate strategy, until the offender stated that he was going to kill people on the tram and grabbed a woman, pointing the knife at her.

With the imminent threat to the life of the woman, Members of the Critical Incident Response Team entered the train armed with a Taser and rifle, a combination of lethal and less-lethal force which is an important detail here.

The first discharge of the Taser did fail, probably due to the thick jacket the offender was wearing.

Luckily this Taser model has two cartidges that can be fired in succession, and the second shot was effective at achieving neuromuscular incapacitation.

Being in a confined space like this with someone who is armed with a knife is extremely dangerous, watch my video about police in knife vs gun scenarios to understand more.

If the Taser failed as they often do, using the rifle was extremely risky, as there were multiple members of the public behind the offender and any shots fired can miss, pass through the offender or ricochet and potentionally harm or kill the victims. Going hands-on could potentially result in the police getting killed themselves.

They were faced with an extremely dynamic and unpredictable scenario with no perfect options and potential negative outcomes no matter what they did.

This could have gone horribly wrong but it didn’t, well done to these police who managed to achieve the best outcome.

Russian soldier surrenders to drone after his comrade commits suicide

Footage like this has never existed before now.

Russian soldiers are bombed by drones, while attempting to shoot them down and find cover. One Russian is injured badly and commits suicide by dropping his own grenade next to his head.

Another Russian negotiates with the drone via body language and hand signals, before a pamphlet which explains how to surrender is dropped by another drone.

The Russian then makes his way across the battle field, following the drone and barely escaping death several times over.

Ultimately he reaches the Ukrainians and is able to surrender and survive.

Simply astonishing footage.