Vince Morris is a Karateka that has become world renowned for his no-nonsense approach to martial arts and fighting. He is also the founder of the Kissaki Kai.

In this article I want to discuss a number of topics, but to begin with I would like to tell you a little about my work as a Law Enforcement Trainer in Officer Protection, as so many of you have written to me of your interest in this aspect of martial arts.

As many of you will know, I spend many years studying the old Kata's and attempting to re-discover or re-interpret the real combat applications (bunkai) of the techniques within them.

One reason why I began this study some 17 years ago was my total frustration with the perception of Kata as something quite unrelated to the other two main elements of Dojo practice - basics (kihon) and sparring (kumite).

Even after many years I could not be happy with the explanation of - for example - uchi-uke as a blocking technique. Why was it never used as such in the fast and furious reality of ju-kumite? Why were there so many other techniques which were constantly practised in kihon and ippon-kumite but which were never ever used in combat?

This idea, that Kata were somehow unworkable in reality, and useless in combat, was the same experienced by Hideyuki Ashihara who was so dissatisfied with what he was taught that he started his own style calling it 'Ashihara's Fighting Karate' and devised new Kata which he could equate to combat skills and use: "as they are, in a real fight."

Fighting Karate. Kodansha P.130

Frankly, in my opinion this led him to try to re-invent the wheel so to speak, as, if he had truly understood the function of Kata and the proper self-defence applications which they contain, he would never have had to do this!

Anyway, I digress.

My own research into the origins of the Kata led me to study the use of the anatomically vulnerable points of the human body as a starting place, and understanding the Chinese medical background of some of the originators of the forms it soon became apparent that to understand the correct use of the Kyusho (vital points) it was necessary to view them in the proper context of time and place. Therefore to make use of them in any way other than one which conformed to the medical knowledge current at the time of their development would be completely erroneous.

Thus knowledge of the meridians and of effective use of them in conjunction with concepts of Ki (Chi) destructive vs. constructive cycles, time factors and so on seemed to be an absolute requirement.

The work of others such as George Dillman and Earle Montaigue, though coming from other angles (Okinawan Kempo & Tai Chi Chuan) was very helpful and made discussion of this aspect of the Kata more publicly acceptable.

Thus it came about that the very techniques in the Kata which had seemed so obscure and useless to me now became the basis of extremely powerful defensive skills which were both fast and effective when used correctly. So much so that I began to use them in the Officer Protection classes.

First, let me say that I have seen many good martial artists who make fundamental errors when teaching any form of self-defence, never mind those often required by police officers.

Too often they teach what seemed to work fine in the Dojo, or in competition; long-range kicks and reverse punches, and frequently combinations which rely upon a fair degree of expertise from the defender. Compounding this is the fact that they seldom teach under the stress levels which are likely to occur in reality.

This often leads to disaster in practice, as the distances of real attacks is very different from that of the Shiai-jo, as is the time factor. Everything here is 'in your face' and very fast! Add to this the fear factor, the 'flight or fight' response, the adrenaline surge, tunnel vision plus often the denial factor, then you have a totally different situation from that practised in the peace and tranquillity of the Dojo!

In Police Academy I try to ensure that these problems are recognised and avoided.

The techniques drawn from the Kata are close-range and very fast. Using the vulnerable points in a manner consistent with the theory, plus simple body shifting and controlling methods makes it possible for an officer to either take the initiative and seize and control a subject (when making an arrest for example) or to quickly subdue an attacker.

Having said all this, it is only part of my function to help an officer to survive in unarmed combat. Much of my work is concerned with awareness training and tactical training.

Low-light simulations of arrest and search procedures in dark alleys, entry and control procedures when entering a suspected Crack house, arrest and control methods, ground fighting to cover situations when officers are shot, stabbed or otherwise injured, handcuffing and baton techniques, weapon retention methods, all these form part of the curriculum.

As a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers I get the opportunity to train with some of the finest, most experienced trainers in the world, and the knowledge I cull from them I incorporate into what I teach my own students.

More than this, however, I get the chance to go out on duty with many of the officers who have to put their training into practise every day of their lives, and thus gain an invaluable insight into not just the physical methods they use, but also the mind-set, the mental approach to surviving the streets.

Sometimes I go out with the patrol units (in Los Angeles Police Dept. 'Adams' units - 2 officer cars) and sometimes I go out with the undercover sections.

To give you a flavour of what it is like I'll tell you a little about the squad I went out with a few weeks ago in L.A.

There are a number of special squads in the LAPD and probably the most dangerous is SIS, the special investigation squad. Because this is an undercover unit dealing with the absolute dregs of humanity, three-time losers, drug barons, dealers, pimps and murderers, very often attempted arrests end in armed confrontation as the bad guys have little or nothing to lose!

The next 'most interesting' unit is the 'Fugitive Warrants' squad, whose main purpose is intelligence gathering and co-ordinating information about the whereabouts of either felons for whom warrants of arrest are operative or those who are 'on the run' following conviction.

The work doesn't stop here, however, as once a subject is tracked down the squad then carries out a full-scale entry and arrest operation to detain the subject.

At around 6 am on a hot Los Angeles morning you will find a small group of officers gathering for the morning briefing. They are a non-descript lot, not flashy or sharply suited, but casual in jeans and shirts.

The atmosphere is understated, each is a professional and histrionics would be jarringly out of place at this hour and place.

Conversation is small talk and low-voiced as the morning ritual of deciding on who buys the first of the mornings caffeine intake is carried out.

The talk drifts almost casually from discussion of the levels of golfing prowess enjoyed by the members to general department topics of scandal and promotion then as the squad commander pushes his empty coffee cup aside the shift from the mundane to the selection of 'target for today' is completed.

The commander - let's call him John - is a man who epitomises the archetypal quietness that could easily - but so wrongly - be mistaken for by the less than perceptive. The team - to a man - are absolute in their esteem for him, and they should know, he is the one who leads them into action every day of the week.

They know of his background, for he will never tell you.

This quiet unassuming lean six-footer is a Vietnam veteran whose tasks included swimming up rivers to 'take out' selected targets. This rangy tee-shirted character who is now listening quietly to members of the squad exchanging information was transferred to them out of SIS as department policy dictates that after a certain number of fatal shootings an officer must be re-assigned.

Very many of 'John's' arrests ended this way, as those with nothing left to lose often resist by trying to shoot their way out, so far with 'John' they never made it!

After the target is selected and the latest information as to his current location passed around, the officer responsible for his file draws a detailed plan of the target's house and surroundings on the large display board which dominates one wall of the tiny office.

Then each squad member is teamed with a partner and order of entry and exit cover are assigned.

Crumpling the empty coffee cups and tidily depositing them in the rubbish bin they file out into the station house car park and climb into a convoy of different unmarked cars and a large black-windowed truck.

A parking lot close to the target location has been agreed as a rendezvous, and within minutes the cars are pulled up at the back of a local Diner and each of the occupants quietly opens the boot and dons body armour and leg holsters.

The whole process of kitting-up is done in silence; the only sounds are the subdued voices checking lapel radio mikes.

Within minutes the convey is on the move again gliding to a halt a hundred yards away from the target location, each officer slides out and - taking care not to announce their presence to local dogs by slamming doors - moves quietly into position.

There is no need for talking. Each has done this thousands of times before and knows his task. At this stage instructions are given by brief hand signals, and when all are deployed the entry is effected.

Sometimes the door is opened without fuss, sometimes a heavy metal ram is swung to batter it down, whatever the method, whilst predetermined officers go in the front other are situated at the rear to cover ant attempt to escape.

Now is the tense time - time when things can (and do) get very dangerous!

On this particular operation let me tell you that climbing barbed fences in heavyweight armour to face Dobermans who are apparently completely immune to any number of pepper-spray squirts is in itself a fairly exciting happening!

Nonetheless, entry is effected, any occupants herded into one room and watched whilst the rest of the premises are searched room by room, each officer covering his colleague's back in case of surprise attack.

Anything can happen now, and it frequently does. Sometimes the arrest is easy, sometimes it is hard; sometimes the suspect is not even there. Every time, however that the procedure is put into operation these officers are under great stress and must be ready for anything. The fact that they can trust and rely upon their partners goes a long way to make their job safer, and the fact that their little squad is now being increased in size pays tribute to their success in bringing down the crime rate in their area.

After each operation any detained felon is transported to jail for processing, and the squad make their way to the rendezvous point to take off the armour again and then they go for breakfast.

Even here the professionalism shows. Over coffee each participant is asked to comment on what happened and each aspect analysed for tactical correctness.

Job done the group make their way back to the station house for the next assignment.

This type of work is obviously fraught with danger. Even so, these officers will tell you that theirs is not the most dangerous.

No. They are usually well aware of what they may come up against, and they go in with a prepared plan to cover eventualities.

Ask them and they will tell you that the regular patrol officer has the most dangerous job of all, as he or she is constantly faced by the unknown. Each person on the street or in a car is a potential threat, and every call for assistance is into unfamiliar territory and these are the officers who suffer the most casualties.

These Law Enforcement Officers, in this case American but they could be from any country, these are the 'Modern Warriors'

You have had a small insight into their world, and now perhaps you will understand my emphasis in training on awareness and tactical considerations.

All training must be realistic and simple enough for each officer to learn and use as second nature.

It must be specific for the task, not sport orientated.

It must be effective, there are no referees out there!