From house clearing to carrier landings, warfighters must recognize rapidly changing aspects of the environment in order to select and execute appropriate actions in time frames that challenge simple human reaction time. Although research shows that the source of expertise in such rapid reaction skills is based more on “what you see” than on “what you do,” training typically focuses on physical techniques. This paper explores a simple, safe, and scientifically sound method of testing and training perceptual-cognitive (what you see) components of rapid reaction skills. The video-occlusion method has been used for decades by sports science researchers and has long been contemplated for training reactive skiills in military contexts. However, the gap from sports to military has not been bridged. This study closes the gap by investigating a perceptual-cognitive skill in law enforcement.

Like warfighters, law enforcement officers make rapid decisions and actions to protect themselves and control a situation. While different agencies teach different techniques and philosophies for use-of-force and arrest-and-control, all are enhanced by accurate and rapid recognition of potentially attacking motions made by subjects (civilians or suspects). Before implementing a full-scale video-occlusion training program, we conducted an expert-novice study to verify that the target skill of Attack Recognition actually differentiates expert performers. The study compared the performance of more and less experienced law enforcement officers on a video-occlusion test of Attack Recognition. Participants in the study viewed videos of attacking and non-attacking movements by subjects. Video clips were edited to black (occluded) at various points during subjects’ movements and test takers identified the type or attack (punch, kick, gun reach). Findings validated video-occlusion for testing and training Attack Recognition. Benefits are that video-occlusion training can accelerate expertise and can be delivered on tablets and cell phones at low cost in comparison to virtual reality and immersive simulation.