In recent years, many police departments across the country have started incorporating jiu-jitsu into their arrest control curriculum. Many states have approved jiu-jitsu concepts into their POST (Police Officer Standards and Training) certifications, and have even started teaching it in police academies. Lawmakers and police administrators nationwide have been adapting to the changes in modern policing and society, and are realizing that additional concepts in controlling suspects need to be added to the tactics of the past.

Organizations such as GST (Gracie Survival Tactics), BJJ Cops, EF Combatives, C4C PJJ, and others have developed curriculum that combines police tactics with legal jiu-jitsu moves to help teach officers how to transition their mat work to the street with moves and concepts that are legal, moral, and within policy. When these companies host trainings, classes are packed with officers from all over the country. I know a lot of BJJEE readers have attended a class from one (or all) of these organizations because I have, and I’ve seen a lot of you there!

At the Westminster, Colorado Police Department we have officers who have not only attended one (or more) of these classes and are certified to teach under the Colorado POST laws, but two of our officers are black belts themselves. Often times in police work we see officers attend a class in a certain discipline and receive an “instructor” certification for completing a week-long class. The officer is now legally able to bring the new knowledge back to their department, and can usually develop a lesson plan and show what they learned from whatever training they just attended.

However, as we know in jiu-jitsu, the best instruction comes from not just reciting a technique, but being able to explain why a certain technique or concept is being shown, and understanding reactions and reasons behind the details of the move. The only way to truly understand that is through experience. Having in-house black belts teaching has greatly benefitted the Westminster officers, as they are able to learn why a move or concept is being taught. Add in the amount we train at Westminster (more than any other department I know of), and our officers are now successfully using these techniques on the street.

Westminster is currently hiring for lateral (experienced) officers, and we’ve hired lateral officers (and get applicants) from all over the country. If you have no experience, even if you’ve never thought about being a police officer but are looking for a new career, no problem. We will be opening up another hiring process for entry-level (new) officers soon. As jiu-jitsu practitioners involved with or interested in policing, you should be actively searching for departments that have the same standards as you in regards to training. More importantly, you should seek a department that has the right people teaching arrest control tactics.

In my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than having two veteran cops who are also black belts teaching officers. I’m sure the majority of the readers here would agree.

For more information about Westminster, please reach out to the author, Investigator Jesse Cohen at jacohen@westminsterco.gov.

Additional Resources:

• Ready to Move On? Here Are Five Things to Look For in a New Police Department
• The Importance of Self-Evaluation When Considering a Lateral Transfer
• YouTube: Westminster Police Department

About the Author:

Jesse Cohen is a black belt under Rafael Lovato Jr. at the Kompound Training Center in Centennial, Colorado, and an investigator with the Westminster, Colorado Police Department. Please reach out with any questions you have about police hiring, training, or jiu-jitsu in the Denver area.