[Capt. Charlie]

Good point, Rob. First priority is remove the threat. The obvious threat is the gun, right? Nope. Just like the bumper snickers say, "guns don't kill people, people do". It's his hands that can go for the gun, or your throat or balls. Restrain those first! That's why I like to put 'em on the ground, arms out with palms up and legs crossed. Regardless of where the gun is, tucked front or back, shoulder holster, etc., you need to put him in a position that will make it difficult for him to reach it during your approach. Cuffing is the most dangerous moment. Get 'em on quickly and forget the double-lock and whether or not the key holes are up for now, and then secure the weapon and check for others. Then, you can worry about adjusting the cuffs, double-locking, and getting him up. One of the biggest mistakes I've seen is a lack of very clear, loud, step by step commands to the BG. Every step, every movement MUST be controlled by you. It gets even worse when there's several cops on scene, with each shouting conflicting commands, and that happens frequently in the heat of the moment. That can panic the BG, and panicky people do stupid things. In any case, you can only suggest general procedures. Every scenario is different, and you absolutely HAVE to be able to adjust, adapt, improvise, and most importantly, overcome.