Has anyone taken this course? What are your reviews of it?

Quoted: Has anyone taken this course? What are your reviews of it?

I haven't taken a course. I read/scanned the verbal judo book.

It's all about giving people options, being smooth, treating people nice.

Sir, I understand you, but...

It's interesting, you need to really have thick skin amd alot of patience to be able to use it all the time.  It'll definitely keep you out of trouble with civil complaints.

You mean the course by the "Chameleon" guy. Yes, I have had it. It has some good points, it is a pick and chose type of thing, use what you like, forget what is stupid.
Ex: A lost motorisit asks where is -- whatever.
wrong responce = It is way back there, you missed it by almost a mile.

correct responce= Your in luck, it is not to far from here.

One responce makes a person feel bad, and the other makes them feel good.

Ok so its as stupid as I suspected.

well you have to go and see the video with the guy going nuts on some trooper.  The trooper calmly stands there and takes it while this lunatic rants, raves, cusses and finally tears up his ticket.  Then the trooper informs the man that that is summonsable also and nakes the guy pick up all the peaces.  It's great.

I have seen the video in question a few times on TV. I thought it was pretty funny. But personally I like to fuck with people like that. It makes my day. :)

But with that trooper taking all that crap from that motorist, I have to ask WHY? Why should he have to stand there and take that shit.

Guess thats why this retarded class is in my future...

Not positive but I think that trooper was running people up off camera then when the got irate he turned it on. I have been told by some instructors that he was disciplined.


Now I must admit it is a funny video.

Actually, IIRC, that trooper was fired after that event.  He had numerous complaints lodged against him in the past for being an a-hole. He was trying to prove a point to his superiors with that video.

I was taught a "Verbal Judo" course in the academy.  They called it "Tactical Communications", I found it interesting,if not always useful.  The one thing I took away from the training is not to get in an insult contest, "if it feels good to say, don't say it".  Or at least don't let witnesses hear you tell the SOB your going to stomp his skinny, skanky ass into a greasy puddle if he doesn't move along.

Aww crap, the Homeland Security Specialist class I just signed up for has a section on "Tactical Communications"  I figured it was cool stuff like radios and whatnot...

The instructor that I had for Verbal Judo said that it is pretty much like being a smart ass without the person you are talking to realizing it.  Pretty much using phrases like, "stand that" instead of "I understand that."  To me it was pretty petty stuff.

i feel your pain...  but you're still going to jail.

guy came to my academy and taught a class on something or other...  can't remember what, not important.  

we got him side tracked and he told us a story about when he was on FTO as a recruit and had the verbal judo course in the academy; his FTO had never heard about it.  

So, he wrote his first ticket and the lady getting the ticket was being a bitch and wouldn't sign it and wanted to argue with him about everything.  so he goes through the whole 8 point soft style approach thing...  gets all the way to the end and says "Is there anything I can do or say to make you change you mind and just accept the ticket?"  so she just kind of say, "Fine!" and signs it and takes the ticket. they go back the car and the FTO says, "What the fuck was that?  If anyone ever argues with you and gets confrontational with you shut that shit down right away.  Don’t stand there saying ‘I understand that but…’ “

I thought it was amusing.

check out this for those of you who haven't had the training and want to do your homework.
www.verbaljudo.com/1text/vj1.html

and I found this an interesting explanation:
verbaljudo.com.au/brochures/le2day.pdf

I read the book.  I think it was worthwhile.  It's all about the psychology of dealing with people verbally.  
The course tries to teach officers how to get people to "go with the program" without it turning into a worse situation....but if you know that, then you'll also know how to go about getting the opposite effect :)

I took a basic and advanced Verbal Judo class with Las Vegas Metro and it is definitely worth taking.  Like any skill, it won't solve all of your problems but it will solve a lot of them.  In fact, I'm convinced that its one of the most important LE classes I've taken.  

To give it justice, the system is based on the premise of redirecting someone to the actions you want via their own words.  Just as judo uses the attacker's energy against him, so to with verbal judo.  The class has lots of good tid bits and I especially like where "Is there anything I can say or do" leads you.

Quoted: Actually, IIRC, that trooper was fired after that event.  He had numerous complaints lodged against him in the past for being an a-hole. He was trying to prove a point to his superiors with that video.

If it is the video I'm thinking of it was a Maine trooper, and he did fire that guy up for quite a while before starting the tape. They used the video in the academy for a while before they found out what had happened. I'm pretty sure the trooper was fired but it took a few months for the truth to catch up with him.

Quoted: The instructor that I had for Verbal Judo said that it is pretty much like being a smart ass without the person you are talking to realizing it.  Pretty much using phrases like, "stand that" instead of "I understand that."  To me it was pretty petty stuff.

You had me thinking about this.  My instructor didn't use "understand" he used "Appreciate"  shortening it to "preciate.  I almost corrected him until I saw all the handouts said "I preciate that..."  I never understood that.

I have had the three day course on Verbal Judo, and I for one think it is a great tool. But just that, one tool of many you will learn over time. It is a perishable skill like most things, use it with terds that won't cooperate and sometimes it just might save you from a use of force report. Keep an open mind and see if it gives you anything extra!!!!!! Be safe out there!