Garner Police Department offers self-defense classes, adds more due to increasing demand

If you were attacked on the street, are you sure you would be able to protect yourself?

The number of people interested in self-defense classes overwhelmed a local police department offering the courses this weekend.

Many people are eager to learn how to fight back.

More classes are being added to help meet the community's demand.

They cover elements of predatory violence, a survival mindset – even self-defense law.

Faith Gibbs took a self-defense class hosted by the Garner Police Department.

“This information is so vital to survival,” Gibbs said. “What you see here is practice – the threat is not real. But what participants learn could make the difference when the threat is unexpected and very real.”

Here, she’s learned, she is more powerful than she thinks.

“You are your own weapon,” she said.

Gibbs feels she could be a target at any time.

“As women, we are more vulnerable out in public,” she said.

But now, she also feels she can handle herself if it comes to it.

“I am a smaller female, and I still feel very confident and capable that I could get a larger person off of me,” said Detective Brittany Nestor.

Many people say they are more concerned about violent crime.

The number of people interested in this course is more proof of those concerns.

“We were overwhelmed,” Nestor said. “I think within the first 24-hours, we had 55 people sign up.”

The Garner Police Department added more classes in response to this.

Although they don't currently have any self defense classes scheduled, Captain Chris Adams said they plan to offer more this summer. Expect to see sign-up links in the next few months on GPD's social media, he said.