Gwinnett County Police Department offers Rape Assault Defense course

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – The Gwinnett County Police Department is looking for ways to stop sexual crimes against women before they happen.

The police department opened enrollment for its latest Rape Assault Defense (RAD) course starting in January.

The program is open to women and girls ages 16 and up and offers hands-on tactical training from Gwinnett County’s best.

Later murder and attempted rape nursing student laken riley Instructor Corporal Andres Comacho said they are seeing an increase in interest in Athens.

Gwinnett County police said the Rape Assault Defense (RAD) course gained popularity following the attack of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley in Athens.

“The classes are getting a little bit bigger, so much so that it’s getting harder to manage and we have to keep a limit,” Comacho said.

The four-day course begins with lessons on risk awareness, mitigation and avoidance. Participants then go on to learn hands-on techniques designed to help them evade attacks.

“We will practice different types of techniques every day,” Comacho said. He stated that the ages of the participants ranged from 16 to the age allowed by their condition and abilities. “We don’t turn anyone away.”

Women aged 16 or 17 must be accompanied by a female family member who is at least 18 years old to attend the training.

On the final day, Comacho said participants tested their new skills by practicing techniques on instructors in a controlled environment.

“Preventing crime is very important,” Comacho said. “It’s very important to be safe out there. We don’t always have to wait for a crime to happen before we can do something later.”

The RAD course is designed for women of all fitness levels, with techniques designed to be quick and effective, she said.

The next session of the course will start in January. Also open to participants from outside Gwinnett County.

To learn more about the course or to sign up, the district has posted information on its website. website.