POLICE BJJ - BJJ FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

The art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has always incorporated effective self defense principles. Many of these principles have been developed over the course of the last century. The necessity for a self defense combat system is extremely evident, with the increase of crime and violence all across the world. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is used by many practitioners worldwide, including everyday civilians, famous celebrities, and even many different agencies of law enforcement. The art of trying to subdue an attacker can be a complicated one, but with the evolution of these Martial Art principles, it is becoming easier to learn bjj for street fighting, as the self defense system is proven to have credible street application.

What This Article Covers:

• The Evolution of Self Defense in BJJ
• Why Should Law Enforcement Train in BJJ
• Are There Specific Programs for Law Enforcement
• Which Agencies Train in BJJ
• What Makes BJJ More Effective than Other Martial Arts
• What Benefits Can Police Officers Gain from Training in BJJ

THE EVOLUTION OF SELF DEFENSE IN BJJ 

The self defense aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began in the early 1900's, after Helio Gracie took the best parts of Judo and developed his own combative system. As Helio developed his Martial Art, he began incorporating leverage based joint locks, and a series of high impact chokeholds. Helio's early form of BJJ involved using certain strikes like leg kicks and throat strikes, as his art was heavily linked to Vale Tudo, which is a form of combat jiu jitsu. Throughout the 20th century Gracie Jiu Jitsu was the dominant Martial Art in Brazil, as the Gracie clan was as close to unbeatable as you could get. As the rivalry heated up between the Brazilian form of Luta Livre and Gracie Jiu Jitsu, so did the animosity between the camps. This forced spillovers into the streets which consisted of escalating violence, including the use of firearms. This eventually forced the government of Brazil to ban Vale Tudo nationwide.

Learn the control tactics used by law enforcement to safely control and eliminate threats.

The art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began heading on a trajectory towards more of a sporting aspect. With the popularity of Rickson Gracie winning all over Japan, and the success of Royce Gracie competing in the inaugural UFC event, BJJ took a new path down a competitive lane. The art evolved throughout the next 20 years giving birth to a multitude of UFC, ADCC and IBJJF champions, who all utilised aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. BJJ had basically become a sport where practitioners would focus more on the points game and control positions, leaving the self defense component scarcely in the dark. In the last 10 years we have seen a significant comeback with self defense BJJ. The demand for self defense has surged due to the rise in violent attacks across the board. Nowadays the BJJ combat system has developed new concepts in the wake of the necessity for self defense. Students can login online and learn many self defense principles, making this form of combat much more accessible to a wider range of people, including law enforcement.

WHY SHOULD LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAIN IN BJJ

Law Enforcement agencies worldwide have been constantly under significant pressure inside the community. Although we would all love for there to be no crime or violence in the world, unfortunately there is an ever increasing rate. Police officers are responsible for peace and safety within the community on a daily basis. They are also under significant pressure, as anything they do will be heavily scrutinised by the public. In the past there have been some questionable incidents, but a few bad apples surely cannot ruin the whole bunch. Police are always dealing with perpetrators of all different shapes and sizes, and many of them can be extremely dangerous when it comes to trying to apprehend them. So imagine if a police officer that specialises in BJJ or kenpo jiu jitsu, is able to subdue an assailant that is much bigger than them, through the use of minimal effort. 

Some officers have been accused of excessive force in the past, but in an ever escalating nation of crime and violence, it's understandable to see why officers need to protect themselves. This is a huge reason why law enforcement officers should all be training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. An officer trained in the Brazilian art will learn techniques that will help them subdue offenders without using violent attacks, or excessive force. This is a perfect solution for what officers have to deal with on a daily basis. The art of BJJ utilises a comprehensive series of dominant control positions, which would make situations for law enforcement much easier to deal with.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 

Law enforcement officers all over the world are now looking toward Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a necessary means to help them in their day to day survival. Some police officers are actually joining BJJ academies and learning the art from scratch, as some officers have already reached high levels including the prestigious Black belt rank. In terms of programs for law enforcement, there is one organisation that is leading the way. The Gracie University has become the premier academy in the world, for teaching different styles of jiu jitsu, and self defense to people from all walks of life. With all the Innovations that Rener Gracie and Ryion Gracie have put into place, the level of self defense for law enforcement is going through the roof.

The Gracie Academy has designed a revolutionary defense tactic system called Gracie survival tactics. The system is based purely on Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and incorporates techniques that are easy to learn and will help officers prevail against larger and much stronger perpetrators. This system is known as the GST system, and is available to law enforcement professionals, military personnel and first responders. Not only can these service men and women learn this incredible tactical system, but they can also become certified instructors too. Due to the increasing scrutiny of police actions in the past, this new system for training law enforcement has become a necessity. The GST system has also been reviewed both medically and legally for use in law enforcement, as the system has been developed for its tactical effectiveness. Many of these techniques developed by the Gracie clan are slightly different to the traditional BJJ techniques, this is due to the fact that police officers carry firearms. This means that slight adjustments needed to be made so that a perpetrator cannot take a weapon away from an officer. The success of the GST program is being proven everyday, as law enforcement officers across America are reaping the benefits of the safe and trusted defense system.

WHICH AGENCIES TRAIN IN BJJ

There has been a significant rise in law enforcement agencies training in BJJ across the globe. There are many countries now incorporating BJJ into their police tactical fighting systems. Countries like the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, and countries all over Europe are joining in on this world wide phenomenon. There are significant benefits of adding BJJ to a law enforcement tactical system, as not only will they receive qualified instruction they will also learn a significant confidence in how they engage inside the community.

There are two police departments in America that spring to mind. One is the Marietta police department, which is located approximately 20 miles northwest of Atlanta. The department has over 140 officers that are actively engaged in an american jiu jitsu curriculum, although it is not a requirement for veteran officers, it is however required for all new rookies. The other department is the Manteca police department in California. This department sees at least 7 use of force complaints every quarter, but since they have added BJJ into the mix, those numbers are starting to decrease considerably. This is largely due to the hands on training they are receiving because of BJJ. Many of these police officers have had dealings with Renner Gracie, who has developed a remarkable law enforcement system. Renner Gracie has had to make some considerable changes to the traditional BJJ system, like training in weapon retention, handcuffing, multiple attackers, and confined spaces. All of these techniques have been tailored specifically for law enforcement agencies.

WHAT MAKES BJJ MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHER MARTIAL ARTS 

There are many people that would debate which martial art is the most effective for law enforcement agencies. There are many organisations that utilise techniques from the Krav Maga Martial Art, as this was the number one combat used in many Armed Forces across the world. Other martial arts like Judo, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Boxing, mma or bjj are also used to a certain extent. It is extremely hard to pinpoint which martial art best suits a law enforcement agent, as it really does come down to each individual and what suits them best. Recently Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become one of the premier frontrunners used in law enforcement tactics. With the developments made by The Gracie University, they have tailored an extensive program to suit the exact needs of police officers. This means that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is more effective than any other Martial Arts. All other Martial Arts are too orientated in striking to be effective, and still not use too much excessive force. BJJ is perfect because it has the right balance of control positions, and submissions that can be applied gently. There is also a huge factor to consider, as BJJ is the only Martial Art that can subdue an assailant, and still avoid using excessive Force.

WHAT BENEFITS CAN POLICE OFFICERS GAIN FROM TRAINING IN BJJ

Police officers are always encountering physical dangers while they are on the job. Thousands of American police officers are injured every year on the job, so you can imagine how daunting the job must be on a daily basis. Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will help law enforcement officers increase the safety of all individuals involved in an encounter. An officer will learn how to correctly control an assailant, which gives them a significant advantage in the middle of an escalated violent situation. This will also help them avoid injuries, and manage the risk involved for other parties to injure themselves.

Another benefit of training in BJJ is the level of physical fitness they will receive. BJJ will offer a comprehensive regime that allows offices to gain significant cardiovascular Improvement, and increased core strength. They will also achieve attributes in flexibility, dexterity, agility, and an increased range of mobility. They will also achieve a natural progression of muscle conditioning, which will allow them to last longer in the heat of a conflict. It is also well known that people who train in BJJ are good decision makers. This is mainly due to being under high pressure situations on a regular basis, which will serve police officers well, when dealing with perpetrators.

One of the most important aspects that BJJ teaches is mental toughness. Police officers need to operate at an extremely calm level at all times, as their reputation is constantly on the line. BJJ teaches students how to stay calm, and control their emotions during high pressure situations. One of the most important components that BJJ teaches is how to stay comfortable while you are uncomfortable, as this is simulated whilst being stuck under a heavier or higher level opponent on the training mats. Training in the art of Jiu Jitsu also gives a police officer real confidence in their abilities. This is an extremely important aspect, so they can become exceedingly proficient in their duties as a law enforcement agent.

Learn the control tactics used by law enforcement to safely control and eliminate threats.

Becoming a police officer can be an extremely lonely job as the rigorous grind of police work never ceases to end. It can become hard for a police officer to find time for their personal life, as maintaining relationships outside of work hours can prove tricky. Officers will usually work odd hours, making it next to impossible to have a social life. The great aspect about training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the friendships that you will make, as BJJ has a way of bringing people together. Training on the mats is just fun, and police officers will soon realise it can be like having a social life. All BJJ practitioners have a deep respect for law enforcement agents, and emergency service personnel, so it becomes exceptionally easy for a police officer to make friends along the journey.

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