A version of this article also appeared in The Eighteen Eleven Journal, Vol. 146, and The Hangout Journal.
Many promote jiu-jitsu training for law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, much of this material is conjecture or anecdote, with little scientific basis or personal experience in the law enforcement profession. These limitations aside, that does not make them wrong. In fact, there is reliable data that correlates jiu-jitsu training for law enforcement with positive outcomes for the public, the officers who participate in jiu-jitsu training, and the law enforcement agencies that promote the training.
Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that allows smaller, weaker opponents to defeat larger, stronger opponents using leverage. Law enforcement studies show that officers who lack training in joint/body manipulation and leverage will resort to striking, pepper spray, TASERs, or firearms; each of which could be less effective, ineffective, unsafe, disproportional, or an excessive force response (Hall, 2022; Kilbey, 2021).
A recent study found that a two-year jiu-jitsu training program for police officers resulted in:
* A 23 percent reduction in less-than-lethal weapon deployment by officers.
* A 48 percent decrease in officer injuries.
* A 53 percent reduction in injuries to the attacker/arrestee.
* A 59 percent decrease in overall use-of-force by the jiu-jitsu-trained officers (Brown, 2021).
Data gathered after a four-year jiu-jitsu training program for police officers found:* A 37 percent reduction in use of force incidents.
* A 68 percent reduction in officers using strikes.
* A 51 percent reduction in the deployment of pepper spray.
* A 39 percent reduction in TASER deployment.
* A 44 percent reduction in injuries to attacker/arrestees.
* A 25 percent reduction in injuries to officers.
Interestingly, during the study, there was a 29 percent increase in aggression toward officers, yet a decrease in the officers’ force response (Gottfried, 2021).
Another study found that 78 percent of the law enforcement officers who train jiu-jitsu utilized grappling techniques to save their lives or prevent serious bodily injury. In 75 percent of situations where grappling techniques were utilized against a violent subject, officers reported no harm to the subject (Kay, 2020).
Experts conclude these findings are the result of officers feeling more confident and less frightened (Hall, 2022). Tyson Kilbey, a 25-year veteran law enforcement officer and Police1 columnist, adds that problem-solving under pressure, a predominant theme of jiu-jitsu training, allows officers to effectively deal with difficult situations outside of the mat room (Kilbey, 2022).
The instructors at Jiu Jitsu Five-O, an organization operated entirely by law enforcement officers, believe jiu-jitsu training will better prepare officers for an attack, as officers learn realistic, safe, and efficient self-defense techniques. They believe jiu-jitsu offers wellness benefits such as improved confidence, the sense of community and belonging, improved physical and mental health, and a lifetime of learning (Jiu Jitsu Five-O, 2023).
Sufficient evidence exists to encourage everyone to train jiu-jitsu, especially law enforcement officers, because of the benefits to the public, the officers, and the law enforcement agencies that promote the training.
References
Browne, B. (2021). How police can add jiu-jitsu to use of force training. Police1.
About The Author
Brian Bowers is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Professor Chris Popdan with 15 years of experience and the Lead instructor of the FLEOA 111 Project. Read More….
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