In a world where everyday life changes rapidly and unexpectedly, the ability to protect ourselves and our loved ones is becoming increasingly important.
City streets can be a challenging environment where a variety of dangerous situations can occur, which is why knowing how to defend yourself is a key element of personal safety. Our aim is not only to offer self-defence products, but also to serve as a source of relevant information and advice on personal safety.
Who better to decipher this issue than a member of the Metropolitan Police, who is on the front line of the fight against crime every day and knows important skills and strategies for self-defence.
Bc. Artur Tereščenko from the Municipal Police in Pilsen, who is also the chairman of the Union of Security Forces for MP.
We would like to thank Artur for the opportunity to present our product range, but mainly for his invaluable insight into the workload of MP and his experience over the years of working in this field.
1. How long have you been serving in MP and what made you join?
I have been serving in MP Pilsen for 17 years. I always wanted to join either the army or the police. I had no education, so I couldn't join the state police, so I temporarily joined the MP, where I finished my high school and university education. Since I am happy here, I stayed here and didn't go elsewhere.
2. How was your training conducted?
So I was lucky that my high school teacher, a self-defense teacher, had us here when I started as a trainer. So a really great practitioner. That's when I learned the most, that's when it was really all hands on, it was great and I learned a lot. Today those trainings are similar.
3. What department do you serve in?
MP Plzeň consists of district police stations. I serve at the Plzeň- Bory district station, which has an animal trapping vehicle with citywide coverage (the so-called 156 line). Then we have a vehicle with which we take drunks to the alcohol detention centre and also an emergency line for the elderly, which works via a call button. We also have quad bikes and a vehicle with radar.
4. What does the MP encounter most often on duty?
Since I serve on a citywide vehicleit's all about contact with people. We deal with situations with various anti-social people like homeless people and generally we are right on the spot. Even during the covid period we were on the street, we dealt not only with classic offences, bad parking but also with suicide notices etc. We also deal with when someone leaves a diagnostic facility or hospital arbitrarily and various animal captures, like snakes and parrots.
5. What is the worst situation you personally had to deal with at MP?
So the worst situation for me was two years ago - we had a suicide rescue, and although we managed to successfully save him, unfortunately for me it meant six months of treatment at home. I injured my leg kicking in a door, went through and injured my knee. It was a cruciate ligament tear and cartilage injury...the neck had to be cut and the cartilage cleaned because there was a piece of it crushed. That was probably the worst part.
6. What is your armament?
We should be getting ballistic protective gear by now. The riot squad has its equipment. We should have ballistic helmets and vests in the vehicles. We also have ČZ and Glocks 19. The officer's equipment includes a service weapon, service handcuffs, tear gas and a telescopic baton. And hopefully we'll have tasers at some point.
7. In your opinion, what is the effectiveness of these weapons?
Effectiveness of these weapons as law enforcement agents (whether it is a tear agent or a taser or other similar weapon), is to primarily stop, immobilize, disorientate the attacker so that we can then handcuff him so that he does not harm himself, his colleagues or anyone else who will be present.
8. What are your initial impressions of Byrne's weapons?
I was approached by the company and invited to a demonstration of these weapons.
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I can definitely see it for officers who are 18 and don't have a firearms license, because with the city municipal police, the P.O. doesn't start until they're 21. I imagine that officers new to the force at 18, since they don't have any guns, would at least have that, and I think that would be ideal. Nice, nice stuff for me, I was pleasantly surprised. I have to say, I'd like to at least shoot one of these, and get a taste of what it's like. Use it for real out there, obviously not just on somebody, on some of those trainers or dummies.
9. Would these weapons find potential in the armed forces?
Like I said, for officers 18 and up to have guns. But I'm also thinking of using Byrne brand weapons for the riot squad we have as well, there's also something like a machine gun. I could see the riot squad having that just for some events, demonstrations, football, hockey games, etc. so that could be used. But of course, the bottom line is not to get into situations where the officer is not obligated and doesn't have to use that weapon, but if it came down to it, they would use it.
10. Do you think there is an ever-increasing need to defend ourselves nowadays? If so, what resources would you recommend - would you recommend byrna to anyone?
What pleasantly surprised me about the Byrne brand and their guns is that it's 18 and up and not subject to registration, like a gas gun. So for me it's definitely a great thing for everyone, especially women, for self-defense, they can carry it in their purse, etc.
It's better to be prepared than to be surprised. It's better to be prepared for something to happen, and I'll be ready to defend myself. Nowadays, you only have to look at what's happening in Pilsen, like Krimi Pilsen. I think it's not out of place today. I'm not saying to be armed, but to have some object for self-defense so that I can defend myself and not be a victim, but if nothing else to at least be an active victim and be able to defend myself. Definitely a cool thing for me.
