The Southern

Issue date: 2/19/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Nicole Sundstrum

This semester's wellness clinic taught Florida Southern students valuable self-defense tactics, instructed by the Lakeland Police Department's Training Division.

Retired officer Mike Arbogast works with LPD part-time. In his 20 years of service, he worked with the SWAT team for 12 years and spent time in Iraq teaching defensive tactics to police departments.

"The biggest self defense is to be aware and make good choices," Arbogast said, "You can learn all types of defensive tactics, [but] if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, what is it worth?"

"Don't get to that point." Sgt. Shawn Collins said.

Collins worked with the Polk County Sheriff's Department from 1995 to 1998, and now serves with LPD's Training Division teaching defense.

Collins said an easy target could be found "walking alone in a poorly lit area, maybe distracted on their phones, texting or listening to an iPod... self awareness is the biggest thing."

Collins and Arbogast also discussed crucial issues including the importance of watching your drink at all times and avoiding walking to the parking lot alone.

"Don't walk away from your drinks and if you leave a party with someone, make sure a friend knows," Arbogast said. "Use common sense."

Collins suggested that students avoid putting up specific locations on Facebook.

"Just don't do it," Collins said, "People fail to realize how much information other people can get in this technological age."

Aside from common sense, Collins and Arbogast taught useful techniques ranging from front, back and ground attacks.
Sarah Sumner and Adam Shipanok, both juniors, took the course together.

"My favorite hold was the attack from behind because it would seem to be the most common walking around campus," Sumner said.

Collins and Arbogast demonstrated a few key actions to break free from a hold from behind. Arbogast suggested stomping on the foot of the assailant or scraping a heel down their leg, allowing the victim time to escape.

"I really found the full mount attack to be useful, especially for a guy in case of a ground fight," said Shipanok.

While Sumner had previously taken a self-defense class and Shipanok had not, both found the clinic to be very helpful. They strongly felt that students would attend a series of self-defense clinics if offered by the school.

"I feel like a lot of people would attend because it's fun and you feel more confident afterwards," Sumner said.

"We normally conduct a clinic a semester," Assistant Director of Wellness Michael McElveen said.

However, if student interest were high enough, McElveen would be open, to conducting self-defense classes in a series, which would offer more students the opportunity to learn defense tactics.

"There is a lot to learn," Shipanok said.

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