Police work can be precarious, and officers on duty often find themselves in situations that require getting physical. However, the use of force is not always necessary. That’s why knowledge of self-defense and martial arts is crucial for police officers to perform their duties without causing harm.
Jiu-Jitsu, is becoming increasingly popular among police departments. Some experts even claim that a police officer without jiu-jitsu is like a skydiver without a parachute. It’s not uncommon to see police departments partnering with Jiu-Jitsu gyms to train their staff.
Recently, a video of an incident between a police officer and a vandal went viral. The criminal had a shovel, and an untrained officer could have resorted to using force to protect themselves. Thankfully, the officer in question was well-trained in martial arts. He waited for the wrongdoer to drop the shovel, then grabbed him by his coat and pinned him to the ground.
When the criminal resisted arrest, the officer used his jiu-jitsu skills to control him on the ground. He was able to keep the situation under control until backup arrived. Without his martial arts training, the situation could have easily escalated to the use of lethal force.
One of the strongest advocates for jiu-jitsu training in law enforcement is Rener Gracie. Rener is a high-level black belt in the martial art and a member of the Gracie family, which originated the sport in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1920s.
He emphasizes the importance of using martial arts in law enforcement training to prevent the use of excessive force.
“All it takes is one use-of-force incident perceived as excessive force by the public to go viral in your city, and you have riots… you have fires… sometimes the entire country feels the impact of a use-of-force disaster that happened on your watch,” Rener says.
“We have to place value on the training… more effective than any other training or skill set, the regular training of jiu-jitsu.”
It’s not just about preventing riots or viral videos. It’s about reducing the risk of harm to both officers and suspects.
By using BJJ, officers can maintain control over situations without causing unnecessary harm. Jiu-jitsu provides officers with the skills they need to safely subdue suspects without resorting to lethal force.
