London Attack

[CharlesHarris]

Not many details apparent from news reports reaching the US. Apparently the policeman who was killed was unarmed and not wearing body armour, which would be routine i the US. Defending against a surprise knife attack is risky even if carrying a pistol, because even a highly trained officer takes about 2 seconds to react, draw and fire. If all the cop had was a truncheon and particularly if attacked by surprise, there is almost no effective defence, particularly if the assailant is trained in knife attack and knows the most vulnerable points to attack.

While most US policemen are armed and wear body armour routinely, they are also trained in unarmed combatives and treatment of traumatic injuries. It us not known whether the policeman was slashed at the neck, or stabbed or if rapid application of combat life saver methods could have saved him.

A tragedy nonetheless.