Signficance of the Tueller Drill
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:58 am
How many know about the Tueller Dril and its signifcance? Has anyone ever had to use it in court after self-defense incident? For those that are not familiar with the Tueller Drill, let me give a short description below. I am interested in hearing your experience about the Tueller Drill and instances where it helped in a self-defense case that went to court.
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Dennis Tueller with the Detective Division of the Salt Lake City Police Department was one of the first to test reaction time when it relates to firearms for self-defense. The lesson of his "Tueller Drill" has become standard fare for tactical schools and there is much legal precedent for its use as a defense in court. (1) First published in 1983, the Tueller Drill assesses the lethal threat posed by a contact weapon (knife, club, etc.) utilized at a distance. It answers the question as to whether a pocket knife or other impact weapon in the hands of an assailant can be considered a lethal weapon in the perpetrator is farther away than contact distance. (1)
In short, the drill puts an assailant 21 feet from the intended victim. On signal, the assailant's run to the victim is timed, as is the victim's draw. Through the use of this drill by a wide variety of ages, weights, physical abilities, and sizes of people, it was determined that the average time that it takes to traverse (close) 21 feet is 1.5 seconds. The average time it takes to recognize the threat, draw, and fire is closer to 2 seconds for average shooters. The significance of this conclusion is that a knife or other impact weapon may be legally considered a lethal weapon when the perpetrator is 21 feet away and the victim's gun is in its holster. (1)
The legal consideration of the Tueller Drill should be that if a person wishes to use this information in his or her defense in case they had to shoot an assailant, he or she would have to establish to the court that he or she had knowledge of the Tueller Drill PRIOR to an attack by an assailant in which he or she fired his or her handgun, rifle, or shotgun to stop the assailant's attack. The victim would also have to establish that the assailant was within the 21 feet to meet the Tueller Drill test.
It is important to document your knowledge of the Tueller Drill BEFORE ANY attack occurs. Take notes (including these), read the references, copy those notes, and use other information that verifies the existence of your knowledge of the Tueller Drill on a specified date in time and place them in an envelope. Mail that envelope to yourself via U.S. Mail, Certified, Return Receipt, Restricted Delivery. Leave the envelope sealed and in a safety lock box. If needed, it can be opened in a court room to prove that you knew of the Tueller Drill AT and BEFORE the time you had to stop an attacker with your weapon. (2)
As with all legal matters, there are caveats. If you decide to pursue this information further, I suggest talking with a good lawyer who has knowledge of such matters.
(1). How Close is Too Close?, SWAT Magazine. March 1983.
(2). Armed Response. David Kenik, Forward by Massad Ayoob. Merril Press, WA, Copyright 2005 David Kenik, Chapter 3, 7.
Note: Much of this information was found in reference (2) above. Armed Response by David Kenik. There are other sources that contain information about the Tueller Drill. Massad Ayoob mentions it different texts or articles.
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Hoppes
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Dennis Tueller with the Detective Division of the Salt Lake City Police Department was one of the first to test reaction time when it relates to firearms for self-defense. The lesson of his "Tueller Drill" has become standard fare for tactical schools and there is much legal precedent for its use as a defense in court. (1) First published in 1983, the Tueller Drill assesses the lethal threat posed by a contact weapon (knife, club, etc.) utilized at a distance. It answers the question as to whether a pocket knife or other impact weapon in the hands of an assailant can be considered a lethal weapon in the perpetrator is farther away than contact distance. (1)
In short, the drill puts an assailant 21 feet from the intended victim. On signal, the assailant's run to the victim is timed, as is the victim's draw. Through the use of this drill by a wide variety of ages, weights, physical abilities, and sizes of people, it was determined that the average time that it takes to traverse (close) 21 feet is 1.5 seconds. The average time it takes to recognize the threat, draw, and fire is closer to 2 seconds for average shooters. The significance of this conclusion is that a knife or other impact weapon may be legally considered a lethal weapon when the perpetrator is 21 feet away and the victim's gun is in its holster. (1)
The legal consideration of the Tueller Drill should be that if a person wishes to use this information in his or her defense in case they had to shoot an assailant, he or she would have to establish to the court that he or she had knowledge of the Tueller Drill PRIOR to an attack by an assailant in which he or she fired his or her handgun, rifle, or shotgun to stop the assailant's attack. The victim would also have to establish that the assailant was within the 21 feet to meet the Tueller Drill test.
It is important to document your knowledge of the Tueller Drill BEFORE ANY attack occurs. Take notes (including these), read the references, copy those notes, and use other information that verifies the existence of your knowledge of the Tueller Drill on a specified date in time and place them in an envelope. Mail that envelope to yourself via U.S. Mail, Certified, Return Receipt, Restricted Delivery. Leave the envelope sealed and in a safety lock box. If needed, it can be opened in a court room to prove that you knew of the Tueller Drill AT and BEFORE the time you had to stop an attacker with your weapon. (2)
As with all legal matters, there are caveats. If you decide to pursue this information further, I suggest talking with a good lawyer who has knowledge of such matters.
(1). How Close is Too Close?, SWAT Magazine. March 1983.
(2). Armed Response. David Kenik, Forward by Massad Ayoob. Merril Press, WA, Copyright 2005 David Kenik, Chapter 3, 7.
Note: Much of this information was found in reference (2) above. Armed Response by David Kenik. There are other sources that contain information about the Tueller Drill. Massad Ayoob mentions it different texts or articles.
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Hoppes
