Q:  How do I handle a drunk who is somewhat violent, not necessarily towards me? I have some background in karate and aikido  and i have discovered that wristlocks are rather ineffective against intoxicated people and striking is inappropriate - we're talking between friends here. A 'sleeper hold' would seem ideal but i am wary of shutting off the flow of blood to someone's brain. Are there any good "off buttons" on the human body? Many thanks.

A:  You might have just described one of the most likely scenarios most of us will face, and certainly probably THE most common scenario cops face daily.

The problem is most martial art training does not address the "obnoxious brother-in-law" or "aggressive drunk" situations. My non-scientific experience seems to indicate that 75% of the people you end up having to fight are drunk or under the influence of something. Otherwise you wouldn't be fighting!

Forget the suggestions about trying to "reason" with them or "explain" the inappropriateness of their behavior -- THEY'RE DRUNK! You won't get through to them, they can't process a reasonable or rational thought anyway.

You said striking is inappropriate. I agree.

I've also found wristlocks to be difficult to do on drunks. Plus women and guys with super strong wrists like bricklayers, steelworkers, etc. But I'm pretty good with wrist locks on sober, out-of-shape, white-collar guys though.

Chokes are out. Many jurisdictions are elevating chokes and the carotid neck restraint to the "near lethal" level of force. Your scenario is only "somewhat" violent. (I'm assuming that you are talking about aggressive posturing, loud and aggressive speech, but no pushing, slapping or hitting). Plus one of the major contraindications for using the carotid neck restraint is someone who is using alcohol or cocaine. The incidence of accidental death is dramatically higher when chokes are used on drunks, cokeheads and obese people.

Pain compliance techniques probably won't work well either. I know they hurt like hell in the dojo, but the guys I've fought that don't know the techniques don't seem to have much respect for them.

I suggest you are going to have to manipulate his skeletal structure.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to direct his head. Pulling, pushing or twisting his head will allow you to move him.

Your aikido training has probably given you as good exposure as anything to being able to unbalance and "lead" his body away from the confrontation.

You can also direct his mind as well as his body. I had a protection detail where we had to remove a drunken guest from a very upscale party. Our two-man team alerted to the troublemaker and I was standing by when the host finally asked me to remove the guy. Of course the drunk turned his aggression towards me as I walked him out the door with a garden variety armlock/gooseneck wrist lock. When he realized he was actually being half walked/half carried out of the party, he squirmed out of the come along and a fight was imminent. However, my partner swooped in between us and -- smiling -- asked the guy where could he get a drink, how much did the guy bench press, he looked pretty strong, etc., etc. The transformation was dramatic. Almost instantly, the drunk dropped his whole aggressive demeanor and happily began babbling to his new "friend".

Another mind-direction tactic that has worked for me time and time again in the street is to take up an interview stance and, while pointing directly at the guy's face, boom out the question, "DO YOU WANT TO GO TO JAIL?" I've had more than one tough guy stop his aggressive behavior to whine about one thing or another when confronted by this question.

But, if the guy is that much of a problem, he needs to be moved out of the situation or he needs to be controlled to keep him from hurting someone.

At the lower level of force direct him using arm levers, come along wrist holds and head manipulation techniques.

At the higher level of force, clinch with him and either physically push him out of the situation or take him down to the ground and control him or submit him with armlocks, neck cranks (not chokes, cranks) knee locks and ankle locks.

One of my favorite controlling techniques on the ground is to mount him if he is on his back. Then either allow him to roll over onto his stomach or direct him over onto his stomach (I can go into more detail later on this move). Then I use my body weight to control the guy who ends up with his arms trapped underneath his own body. The drunk can't flail and hit anyone and we aren't stumbling over furniture and getting hurt ourselves.

A MAJOR caveat here -- as SOON as you intervene, expect the drunk to escalate his aggressive behavior. He is already "woofing" and getting more and more fired up, a fight is probably in the near future with somebody or something. Your move to control the situation will probably be the switch which will set him off. (How many have heard this before?, "You let me up and I'll kick your ass!")

There is a very good chance that you began to intervene with just the intention of controlling him, but the situation rapidly escalates to a situation where strikes ARE appropriate. So you might get to use that karate training after all!

Good luck.

Brad Parker