Home » Dictionary » distraction strike

distraction strike

distraction strike
 n.— «Under fire for a videotape showing an officer punching a suspect repeatedly in the face, Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton said Friday that he is directing officers not to use the term “distraction strike” to describe when officers hit people to get them to submit to arrest.…The term, he said, was developed to describe a punch or open-hand strike intended to divert a suspect’s attention to where the blow lands so the officer can transition to another technique for completing the arrest.» —“Bratton bans use-of-force term ‘distraction strike’ but not force” by Patrick McGreevy Los Angeles Times Nov. 18, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Further reading

Life of Riley (episode #1533)

Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a family’s beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary...

Off the Turnip Truck (episode #1532)

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...

Recent posts