A Simple Kimura May Have Saved Lives
Posted by Todd Shaffer on
Law Enforcement Professionals Use Jiu Jitsu to Control Situation
At approximately 4 am on Thursday, December 27th, a group of law enforcement officers from a variety of state and local organizations were holding an overnight shift lunch break/meeting at a Perkins Family Restaurant near Warren, Ohio where the members would normally enjoy some food and also network with each other to share information about their experiences and ongoing work keeping the communities and streets safe. The group included multiple State Police officers, county Sheriff's deputies and officers from local municipalities.
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On this evening, the normally peaceful and relaxed late night hours were interrupted by an irate female who was noticeably intoxicated and under the influence of both drugs and alcohol. She began by repeatedly hurling insults at the police officers and raising her middle finger to them, which they calmly played off asking her to settle down and not get herself into any trouble. It was later to be determined that she had a father who was serving prison time allegedly for something he hadn't done and she was not a fan of law enforcement.
Sergeant Bobby Ross Enjoying His Time at Leverage BJJ
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Thankfully, there were no other patrons in the restaurant at this hour, but eventually the restaurant's staff began to lose patience and asked the woman to leave. Now that she was considered to be trespassing, the officers began to take steps to remove her from the premises.
That evening besides the two Ohio State Patrollmen, the other law enforcement officers at that gathering happened to be BJJ students at Tom DeBlass' first affiliate Leverage Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Cortland, Ohio owned and operated by Tom DeBlass black belt Rob Hileman.
Deputy Corey Burns Live Training at Leverage BJJ
The four officers were Sergeant Bobby Ross, Deputy Corey Burns and Deputy Eric Hermsdorfer of the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office, as well as Officer Zach Horner with the Cortland Police Department. Deputy Corey Burns was the first to go to the woman to try to deescalate and to begin escorting her from the premises. It was at this time that Sergeant Ross saw her arms and jacket flailing as she began to resist after being asked to leave and then began to resist when he attempted to walk her out.
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Officer Zach Horner Earns a Stripe at Leverage BJJ
Initial contact had begun in the restaurant lobby and when he saw the woman begin to resist, Sergeant Ross rushed to Deputy Burn's aid as the scene spilled outside. Sergeant Ross controlled one arm and the woman yelled and screamed that she had to get to her car and her purse. Deputy Burns applied a perfect kimura on her other arm and allowed Officer Horner and Deputy Hermsdorfer to apply handcuffs and contain the scene. The scene had progressed to only a few feet from her car. Once the woman was contained by the officers, it was determined that in her purse she was carrying a loaded gun.
Deputy Eric Hermsdorfer watches his coaches at Leverage BJJ
When asked about the situation, Sergeant Ross said, "The four of us who train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Leverage BJJ were the first to take action. Whether it's more confidence in our abilities from training BJJ, or the fact that training keeps us sharper and we know what to do. I also think jiu jitsu has helped me remain calm and level headed in not only that situation, but in other incidents as well."
Deputy Corey Burns is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, while the other officers are much newer to their training at the DeBlass affiliate. Corey has recently purchased Professor John Danaher's Kimura: Enter the System instructional and says that he has immersed himself in the instruction and uses any downtime to study the videos. He partially credits his immersion into the kimura system and the power of the submission hold with the ease with which he was able to subdue the angry woman.
Deputy Corey Burns with Professor Tom DeBlass at a Leverage Seminar
This is just another example among many that underscores the importance of quick thinking and working to deescalate situations before they take a violent turn. Using a simple, yet effective submission, this woman was prevented from getting to her bag which contained a loaded pistol which could have caused much more damage.
For all of the law enforcement and safety professionals out there, if you're not training, ask yourself why not? The time investment to train BJJ can pay untold dividends for professionals who could be called to use these techniques at any time. If you have any law enforcement professionals in your life, share this article and get them to the nearest academy today!
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