Tactical Medicine in Modern Policing
When a critical incident unfolds, law enforcement officers are often the first on scene, sometimes minutes before EMS can safely enter. In those moments, the ability to recognize and treat life-threatening injuries can mean the difference between life and death.
In this episode of Bluegrass Beat, Jason Mike, Tactics Section Supervisor and Critical Skills Instructor at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training, explains why tactical medicine has become an essential skill in modern policing.
Mike draws from his experience as an Army combat medic, Silver Star recipient, and former patrol and traffic officer to explain how officers can transition from threat engagement to lifesaving care under extreme stress. The conversation covers preventable trauma deaths, officer self-aid and buddy-aid, active shooter response, and the importance of realistic, data-driven training.
About our Guest
Jason Mike, Tactics Section Supervisor
Jason Mike is the Tactics Section Supervisor with the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training. He joined DOCJT in 2018 after an extensive career spanning military service and civilian law enforcement.
A Radcliff, Kentucky native, Mike served as an Army combat medic, deploying to Iraq, where he was awarded the Silver Star for extraordinary valor during a large-scale ambush in 2005. Following his military service, he transitioned into law enforcement, serving with the Paris Police Department and later the Honolulu Police Department, where he worked patrol, traffic enforcement, impaired-driving enforcement and high-risk operations.
Now at DOCJT, Mike leads and instructs courses in tactical medicine, active shooter response, traffic stops, and building search, bringing real-world experience and data-driven training to officers across the commonwealth.
Read more about Jason Mike in Kentucky Law Enforcement magazine.
The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
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Music by Digital Juice and StackTraxx.
