Officer Jacob Meadows
Nash Police Department
Officer Jacob Meadows felt called to join law enforcement as a career. He considered other professions but had peace about policing, so he pursued it. He says that the most rewarding part of the job is being able to come home after a shift, knowing he made a positive impact in the community. “Not every shift is that way, but the few and far between are worth it,” Office Meadows says. “The most challenging part of the job is accepting the fact there are things you cannot change. Many times you see horrible choices the same people make over and over again and how their choices negatively affect them and others in their life. The fact that you cannot facilitate positive change in people’s lives to the point you wish you could, can be bothersome. But that’s where personal responsibility comes in for every person.”
Officer Meadows grew up and went to school at the west end of the county in Simms, Texas. He participated in FFA and multiple sports growing up, and because Simms is a very small town, he had essentially the same group of friends from elementary school up to college. “Many people tend to look down on going to a small school, but when I look back, I am proud of it. Simms is a very rural, close-knit community where everyone is familiar with each other. I believe in many ways that can be a huge positive regarding a person’s upbringing,” Office Meadows says. “As a young kid, I was always outdoors, running around in the woods and out and around the creeks trying to catch any animal I could. Summers involved riding four-wheelers and bikes up and down gravel roads. In the wintertime, my friends and I would usually go camping on one of our family’s properties, then wake up the next morning dragging to a sporting event or practice. As far as childhood memories, those probably carry the most weight.”
Now, Texarkana is also special to Officer Meadows. “Texarkana is where I met my wife, started our family, finished college, started following Jesus, and we haven’t left yet,” Officer Meadows says.
Texarkana is also where Officer Meadows has founded his training company, West End Combatives. Officer Meadows is a martial artist who enjoys training mixed martial arts, primarily grappling. “I have been doing this for approximately six years and counting,” Officer Meadows says. “ It is a way of life for me at this point, and honestly, without it, I do not know how I could function.”
Through West End Combatives, Officer Meadows offers civilian gun owner courses and LEO courses that are TCOLE accredited and approved. The main course he currently instructs is called Extreme Close Quarter Handgun. It is a course that teaches students how to efficiently and practically respond to a violent encounter in a weapon-based entanglement with an attacker in extremely close quarters. “The course covers the evolution of a gunfight at arm’s length and closer, which statistically is where 68% of shootings occur,” Officer Meadows says. “I also assist in running a Police Jiu-Jitsu Program at Texarkana Combat Sports with head coach Craig Campbell. We do a free class bi-weekly specifically for LEOs, which, both directly and indirectly, helps them with arrest and control tactics, self-defense, and general fitness. In addition, I periodically coach grappling at a local mixed martial arts school. Martial arts is a passion of mine, and I am grateful that it helps me be a better asset to others within my profession.”
Officer Meadows feels very passionate about integrating ongoing and mandatory defensive tactic training for police departments. He would like departments in the Texarkana area to become some of the most progressive in the state regarding mandatory training. “I believe the current culture in policing in regards to defensive tactics/arrest and control tactics is irresponsible, lacking, and negligent even. In totality, the culture is moving in the right direction in many other places, but, in this area, it is still extremely behind,” Officer Meadows says. “Within policing in general, nationwide, there is a serious deficit in relevant defensive tactics training compared to how many incidents officers are involved in where physical force is used.”
According to Officer Meadows, officers have to use physical force every single time a person is placed in handcuffs, and physical force is used on resisting or combative subjects more than any other tool available on officer’s tool belts. “Yet, most departments have zero to four hours yearly, mandatory defensive tactics or arrest and control training,” Office Meadows says. “Ongoing defensive tactic training is something I am encouraging to happen in this area and will continue to do so. The benefits officers and communities receive are tremendous.”
In Officer Meadow’s opinion, officers who train carry a more respectable presence on scenes, are more confident and competent, and have a greater ability to solve problems under stress than officers who do not. “Also, individuals the officers interact with on calls are safer because of the training they receive,” Officer Meadows says. All of this contributed to why I started West End Combatives and why I try to encourage local officers to attend the free LEO classes Texarkana Combat Sports hosts.”