Meet Austin Davis
Can the subject of defending yourself from armed criminals be entertaining, informative and funny? If you are Austin Davis, former police officer, and standup comedian, then the answer is yes.
Davis is the creator of Comedy Defensive Driving and has opened for entertainment acts as diverse as Jay Leno and Wayne Newton. In addition to two years of police work, he is the current Director of Training and Education for the Texas Concealed Handgun Association and the Director of Training and Education for A Girl And A Gun.
Laughing At Danger
Though his years as a comic and crime educator might seem unrelated, he has woven the two together seamlessly. He did this by creating, “Laughing at Danger,” a 90-minute presentation that arms citizens with street-proven survival techniques. He begins with tips on personal protection and introduces an unexpected tool for citizens to use for protection. This unexpected tool was a special type of flashlight that can be used to disable an attackers vision.
“We need to stop looking at guns as our only tool,” said Davis. “Carrying a gun is an inherently safe activity, that is completely unforgiving of careless mistakes.”
Protecting Your Home
Once we are personally prepared, Davis shared how to secure our homes by developing three layers of protection:
- Psychological security (this includes lights, cameras, dogs, and alarms)
- Physical barriers (such as doors locks, strike plates, and secure windows)
- Protection (current documentation of property for insurance purpose and safe storage for valuables).
He then turned the discussion to home invasion. This typically evokes images of broken windows or kicked-in doors in many home defenders’ minds, however, Davis points out that criminals can also be invited in, con their way in, or walk through an unlocked entry point.
He further discussed ambushes, four-step attacks, and the proper way to place 911 calls. The content came to life with his dynamic enthusiasm and frequent quips. He strives to tell a joke every 90 seconds, a technique that elicits laughs and provides a memorable anchor for key points.
A Valuable Message
Comic persona aside, Austin Davis displays great compassion for the victims of crime, fully grasping the devastation these acts have on our communities. Through his years as a police officer and interactions with victims, he is passionate about the message he delivers. He believes it holds value for anyone, including people who already own and shoot guns.
When asked why a skilled shooter might need additional training, Davis matter-of-factly said, “Because shooting a piece of paper in a well-lit, well-controlled environment is great training for shooting a piece of paper in a well-lit, well-controlled environment. That skill set has very little crossover to learning to fight with a gun.”. — By Mary K. Thiele
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