The SPEAR System® (an acronym for Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response) is a
close-quarter protection system that uses a person's
reflex action
In biology, a reflex, or reflex action, is an involuntary, unplanned sequence or action and nearly instantaneous response to a stimulus.
Reflexes are found with varying levels of complexity in organisms with a nervous system. A reflex occurs ...
in threatening situations as a basis for defence. The founder, Tony Blauer, developed the SPEAR System® in Canada during the 1980s.
History
The SPEAR System's origin began in 1982 with the developed "Panic Attack" drill that attempts to mirror the physiological response of a sudden ambush.
The "Panic Attack" study developed into the "Be Your Own Bodyguard" program and the present day SPEAR and Personal Defense Readiness ("PDR") programs.
In 2007 UK's
Association of Chief Police Officers
The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO) was a not-for-profit private limited company that for many years led the development of policing practices in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Established ...
approved SPEAR for inclusion in the Personal Safety Training Manual for the
British police
Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the legal systems of the United Kingdom: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most law enforcement duties are carried out by police, police constables of ...
.
The
Scottish Prison Service
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) () is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons and Young Offender Institutions.
The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, currently Teresa Medhurst, is responsible ...
uses a modified version of SPEAR in its Personal Protective Techniques.
In 2010 an English Mental Health NHS Trust piloted the first ever SPEAR training programme for staff working with mentally disordered offenders.
See also
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List of martial arts
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Krav Maga
Krav Maga ( ; , ; ) is an Israeli Hand-to-hand combat, self-defence system. Developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it uses techniques derived from aikido, boxing, judo, karate and wrestling. It is known for its focus on real-world situat ...
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Combatives
Combatives is the term used to describe the hand-to-hand combat systems primarily used by members of the military, law enforcement, or other groups such as security personnel or correctional officers. Combatives are based in martial arts but a ...
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Self-defense
Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of Force (law), ...
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S.C.A.R.S. (military)
References
United States Marine Corps in the 20th century
North American martial arts
Martial arts in the United States
Hybrid martial arts
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