What is the reactionary gap concerning baton usage?

The reactionary gap in the context of baton usage refers to the distance between the security officer and the suspect. Understanding this concept is crucial for maintaining safety during confrontations. The reactionary gap is established to allow the officer enough space to respond appropriately to a potential threat or physical attack.

Having an adequate reactionary gap provides the officer with the time and distance necessary to assess the situation, deploy their baton if needed, and take defensive actions. This distance is essential for preventing escalation and ensuring that the officer can react without being at risk of immediate harm.

In contrast, estimating the amount of time it takes to respond to a threat or discussing safe deployment distances can be components of tactical training, but they do not capture the fundamental concept of the reactionary gap itself. The notion of a suspect being "too close for comfort" is somewhat subjective and does not define the technical measurement of distance that serves as the basis for the reactionary gap.