The Bloomington Police Department will teach a women’s self-defense course starting Monday. The course was advertised on social media and all the spots for attendees filled up in 24 hours.
BPD has offered Rape Aggression Defense Basic Physical Defense programming for years, BPD senior officer and RAD instructor Paul Post said.
RAD, a national self defense teaching program that started in 1989, has over 11,000 instructors and has trained more than 900,000 woman, according to its website.
“Self defense programming is important because risk knows no boundaries,” Post said in an email. “We hope this format of class provides a safe, comfortable learning environment for participants to learn basic techniques.”
RAD wants its programs to help all people create a safer future where violence is not acceptable, according to RAD’s website.
BPD only offers RAD Basic Physical Defense, which is focused on women, but RAD has also offered other programs. The programs have included one for children, men, seniors, one geared toward learning to use more extreme force and one to train specialists.
The Basic Physical Defense course includes a lecture, a discussion and a hands-on lesson teaching self-defense techniques to women of all ages. BPD will teach the course in four three-hour classes, so the attendees will receive 12 hours of instruction total.
By the end of instruction, Post wants participants to be able to evaluate situations and learn to be alert and physically prepared to defend themselves against violence.
Officers wear protective suits while teaching RAD courses so they don’t get hurt, Post said. The instructors wear full suits, and the students wear head, elbow and knee protection.
There are 30 other police departments in Indiana teaching RAD classes.
Though the course starting Monday is full with around 16 participants signed up, Post said BPD plans to host three other classes this year.
He said they try to offer two to four classes per year and help IU Police Department when it offers similar classes.
