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Dear readers, I occasionally come across a runner who has something to say about the safety issues that we, as runners, must deal with each time we head out the door on a run.
Who knows? This may save your life one day. Aggression cures a multitude of
flaws. (A personal viewpoint) Some of you may be offended by my attitudes. I have been involved in law enforcement as a student, trainer and practitioner for over 20 years, starting as a police explorer during high school. I have an AS in law enforcement, a BS Ed. in vocational ed. (police training specialty), J.D., and M.P.A., and several years experience as a prosecutor and police officer in both Illinois and Washington. My primary academic interest and concentration is in 4th Amendment law (search and seizure), which includes use of force, and particularly the interaction of law and tactics in policy development, training, and liability prevention. I have published articles in a national police training journal, and consulted with several agencies and nationally known instructors on these and related areas. My M.P.A. final project was on the development and implementation of law enforcement policy, procedure, and reference manuals. I cheerfully admit to being a knuckle dragging thug, but I do insist that it be noted that I am a well educated and well rounded example of the breed. Now that you have a basis for evaluating what I say, and why, you are cordially invited to delete without comment if you think my perspectives will offend you. You won't be the first, nor the last, trust me. :-) Let's face it: we all run and engage in other exercise for various physical and mental health benefits that we get from it. If you don't do this safely, and get hurt or killed as a result, it's counter productive. That having been said, I'll start. Understand that there are some who will prey on the weak, no matter where you are. You are responsible for your own safety; NO ONE ELSE IS, legally or morally. Be aware that the most likely threat to many of us is traffic; we are, after all, playing on the motor vehicle's arena most of the time, even if it just to cross the street. A relatively powerful handgun for personal defence might deliver about 400 ft/pounds of force; a car, several
The copyright of the article Aggressive Approach to Safe Running. in Running is owned by Lynn Seely. Permission to republish Aggressive Approach to Safe Running. in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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