The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has announced that they will begin incorporating Jiu-Jitsu training as part of their efforts to reduce harmful use of force incidents.

The CSPD studied several departments, including the Marietta Police Department, which was one of the first to provide statistical evidence of how Jiu-Jitsu training positively impacts officers.

While many departments have reported positive results, PERF noted that more data is needed to fully assess how much Jiu-Jitsu can reduce injuries for both officers and suspects.

However, they did highlight one key observation:

Even if Jiu-Jitsu only increases officers’ confidence levels so they are comfortable knowing they have the skills to go hands-on with subjects, if need be, this confidence may reduce situational tension and allow for better communication.

A subject may be less likely to become aggressive with an officer who remains calmer and appears more confident.

According to their report, every department that took on BJJ training has had positive outcomes:

Every agency that has integrated some form of Jiu-Jitsu into its DT program was pleased at the positive outcomes it experienced: lower injury rates for officers and subjects, reductions in UOF, recognizable changes in officer confidence levels, and an increase in efforts to use communication to de-escalate situations that would otherwise have been hands-on events, likely with a tool or instrument.

No agency expressed regret or shared anything negative about implementing Jiu-Jitsu.

And, according to Fox 21 News, the CSDP already integrated BJJ training into its curriculum.