The great thing about black belt officers is that, because of their long-term gym application and street application experiences, they have learned how to alter the traditional techniques of their style so that they work on the street. Additionally, most are willing and able to teach what they know to their fellow officers.
Upon entering this career in 1974, I was appalled to discover that only 12 hours of training in “the mechanics of arrest” were offered in the academy, with little or no follow-up done anywhere. This dangerous indifference to officer success and survival inspired me to offer officers ongoing training once a week in a class I called “Kei Satsu Jitsu,” meaning “police way of combat.” In this class, I taught the state’s system, originally called “mechanics of arrest,” and the following system, Defense and Arrest Tactics (DAAT).
Additionally, I taught martial arts escapes, control holds and decentralizations (takedowns), which I adapted for practical police street use. The officers who came to this class became so proficient in their team physical control tactics in that era that we could have honestly told suspects thinking about resisting, “Your resistance will be futile.”
I was able to expand my skill set as an officer and trainer throughout my career, subsequently expanding my fellow officers’ skills in controlling resistive and combative suspects by belonging to the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) and its precursors (USKA, JSTA and ASLET).
By attending ILEETA conferences, I was able to train over the years with many legendary black belt officers in every style imaginable, such as James Lindell, Coach Bob Lindsey, John Traynor, Larry Smith, Kenneth McKenna, Gary Klugiewicz, Jim Glennon, Little Joe Ferrera, Lee Shayket, Duane Wolfe, Ron Scheidt, Tony Blauer, Bob Willis and many more.
I strongly recommend that you all consider joining this organization and attending its high-quality conferences.
There are still many black belt police officers
I can happily report that there are still many black belt officer trainers just as dedicated to their fellow officers’ safety as there were in my generation — maybe more! However, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has become popular within the police training community. When certain traditional techniques are adapted for street use by black belt officers with street application experience, the officers they train proclaim, “This works!”
Here are three examples of black belt officers who have also dedicated themselves to officer safety:
Bill Krieg trains locally: Lt. Krieg of the Appleton (Wis.) Police Department proclaimed that he firmly believes, “Untrained officers will use force ineffectively and an ineffective use of force often will be mistaken for excessive force.” A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Krieg has supplemented his officers’ DAAT with Jiu-Jitsu techniques that he found effective when altered for police street use. Krieg operates his own martial arts studio and trains police officers there. “I teach cops for free because I’m trying to remove any possible barriers to their training. Not all agencies pay well and training can be expensive. The free training is not only a benefit to the individual officer but to the public overall when they have a cop with a higher level of training in their neighborhood,” Krieg said. “I offer a variety of times for officers to come in and train to accommodate multiple shifts.”
Krieg’s selfless dedication to ensuring his officers not only prevail but look like the good guys and good gals while doing so has led to his appointment as training director at his department. The results of his and his fellow trainers’ work have been remarkable and demonstrable. Since Krieg implemented his training approach in 2009, he said that baton and OC usage, as well as injuries to officers and suspects, have diminished dramatically.
Jason Swartz trains virtually: Jason Swartz was a police officer for a department in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was also shocked at how little ongoing training was offered to police officers in self-defense and physical control techniques. Swartz said that being a 5’7” police officer inspired him to become a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu to ensure his efficacy as a police officer. While on duty, he offered ongoing training in his gym for his fellow officers. He said, “I was amazed at how well these officers progressed and performed on the street by training just once a week.”
Swartz also discovered that certain traditional Jiu-Jitsu techniques, if altered slightly, were perfect for street use. The “Kimura arm lock,” for example, removes the fight from the suspect without injuring them. In 2021, after 11 years of policing, Swartz left behind his police career and the winters in Minnesota for Nashville, Tennessee. He decided to focus all his efforts on his blossoming business, Jiu-Jitsu Five-O, which he still operates.
Using Jiu-Jitsu Five-O, Swartz still invites police officers into his studio, but now they can virtually join him from all over the country. Officers and departments who subscribe to Jiu-Jitsu Five-O can be trained on their phone or computer in an ongoing manner. Swartz said that all police officers would benefit greatly from watching his training and getting on the mats at least once a week. He is still available for the occasional in-person class, when asked. However, he primarily offers Jiu-Jitsu Five-O online in three training tracks: Basic, pro, and premium — starting at $7.99 per month.
Ari Knazan trains internationally: My last example of a black belt officer is Ari Knazan of the Victoria Police Department in Canada. Knazan has been in law enforcement for 11 years and is a 5th degree black belt in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, as well as a 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has studied martial arts for 41 years, beginning at the age of 10. Knazan has been teaching Jiu-Jitsu for 21 years and is also a certified Standard Use of Force Instructor in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
When asked if he alters his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for police application, he answered emphatically, “Yes. Police Jiu-Jitsu shares many common techniques with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as you can imagine. However, the situations that police find themselves in are quite a bit different than on the mats.” He continued: “We have to contend with different environments, unexpected third-party interactions, as well as arrest, weapon retention and other tactics. Certain moves in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu do not translate well to police Jiu-Jitsu. Police Jiu-Jitsu involves certain takedowns, arrest pins, and how to deal with suspects that are hiding their hands, balling up, pulling their arms in, etc.”
When asked how police Jiu-Jitsu has helped him as an officer, he said, “Knowing how to manipulate the human body has allowed me to understand how to control a person who does not want to be controlled. I don’t have to rely on intermediate weapons or bash someone in the face to get them into arrest. Injuries to suspects are minimized … Jiu-Jitsu has taught me how to remain calm under pressure. And 98% of all my use-of-force encounters are far less strenuous than my daily fights with my students. Train hard — fight easy, as they say. Having said that, Jiu-Jitsu has literally saved my life in several encounters when weapons were involved.”
Because of the success police Jiu-Jitsu has brought officers on the street, Knazan’s department’s administration has been very supportive of his training. Knazan originally taught traditional Jiu-Jitsu to the public, but his passion for keeping his fellow officers safe has led him to exclusively teach police officers. Along with his friend, Jason Rebsch, Knazan has developed Invictus for Law Enforcement. They offer training and seminars in Canada and the United States in Jiu-Jitsu for police officers.
Knazan observed, “We are currently living in an age where more people are training than ever before. This includes both officers and bad guys. We chose a profession where we took an oath to protect others. We also need to do everything we can to return home to our families.”
Conclusion
Verbal de-escalation techniques are wonderful, but officers must also have effective, well-trained and defensible physical alternatives available for those times when words fail.
You don’t have to be a black belt officer to be effective at controlling resistive suspects. However, you can improve your physical control skills markedly by training in those skills once a week. As Knazan said, “If you train harder, you will fight easier.”
And maybe even look good while doing it.
NEXT: Being a black belt in physical tactics is invaluable, but what about a black belt in dialogue? Learn how to master the art of de-escalation and ensure you have the right skills for every situation:
