For Testimonials from Past Clients-Click Here
For a list of Previous Military and Law Enforcement Clients-Click Here
For a list of Worst Case Scenarios covered in the course- Click Here
For Gracie Combatives in the line of duty- Click Here
Graduating Class: April 2008
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The Gracie Combatives® Law Enforcement Instructor Certification program is offered twice a year at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. This course will sell out far in advance so if you are interested pre-register today.
All Instructor Certification Courses are Announced Through The Gracie Insider To Sign Up For The Free Gracie eNewsletter: CLICK HERE
We also offer opportunities for you to Host a Gracie Combatives course at your location, with our MTT (Mobile Training Team)!
For Information on registering for or hosting a Gracie Combatives Instructor Certification Course at your Agency or Department please call our program director Spiro Demetriadi at (888) 494-5345 ext. 82. Due to a high volume of inquiries, it make take a week of more for you to receive a reply.
Hear what the Gracie Combatives graduates had to say!
To see what the representatives of the following Federal and Local Law Enforcement Agencies had to say about the Gracie Combatives Law Enforcement Instructor Certification Course and the techniques and teaching methodologies used at the Gracie Academy, click on the links below.
Why Does Every Law Enforcement Agent Need Gracie Combatives?
According to the F.B.I. there were 57,546 sworn law enforcement officers assaulted in the line of duty in 2005. Over 80% of these assaults (46,028) were committed by unarmed perpetrators who used only their hands and feet to attack the officer. The most important thing to consider regarding all the unarmed assaults is why the law enforcement officers didn’t shoot the perpetrators before the assault was carried out. There are two possible reasons:
Unjustified – Unless someone’s life is at risk, the officer is not justified to use deadly force.
Unable – Most physical assaults on officers take place so abruptly and without notice that the officer does not have the time or distance necessary to draw their weapon safely.
Since it is so common that officers are assaulted in situations where they are unjustified or unable to use their firearms in their defense, it is extremely important that they are empowered with a very effective, court defensible, weaponless system of self-defense that will ensure their safety in the worst case scenarios that they are so likely to encounter. Gracie Combatives is the solution.
Continuously Updated Program
While most defensive tactics courses are based on theoretically effective techniques that work only on cooperative suspects, the Gracie Combatives™ course is entirely based on carefully chosen techniques that are designed to keep the officer safe against potentially larger, uncooperative and violent suspects. The Gracie Combatives techniques have been taught to several thousands of officers over the last 15 years many of whom have had the opportunity to use the techniques in real combat. Reports submitted by these individuals give us insight as to which techniques were used most frequently so that we can then take this information and use it to update the program so that it is composed of only the most effective and commonly used techniques at any given time.
Reduced Liability with Court Defensible Techniques
It is a fact that any officer who is not confident in their ability to control a suspect with their hands is more prone to resort to their baton/firearm prematurely. Just one use of force incident can dramatically alter the stability of a police department and its relationship with a community. Since the Gracie Combatives techniques enable an officer to effectively control a violent/uncooperative suspect with reliable pain compliance techniques, rather than violent punches and kicks, the physical damage to the suspect is drastically reduced. Lawsuits and charges of police brutality decrease significantly when Gracie Combatives is used. (Note: If the Defensive Tactics instructor at a department holds a valid certification in the Gracie Combatives course, Rorion Gracie will testify on behalf of the department should any police brutality cases arise involving the usage of any Gracie Combatives techniques.)
Enhanced Officer Presence and Self-confidence
If an officer is truly confident in his/her ability to handle a violent suspect, their confidence will multiply exponentially. With this increased confidence comes greater officer presence and in most cases a strong presence is enough to discourage a suspect from attempting to assault the officer. The Gracie Combatives course will greatly enhance any officers confidence in less time than was ever thought possible.
The Problem with the Existing Strategies
In most cases, police officers have always relied heavily on what is known as the "compliance
factor" during an arrest. They count on the tried and true psychology concepts such as "respect
for authority" and "control through intimidation" to accomplish their objective.
While this approach may prove adequate in a large majority of arrest situations, it is not always successful
when dealing with out of control individuals who could be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, emotionally
agitated or challenged by language barriers.
Once an officer realizes their suspect has no intention or is incapable of willing compliance, their
only option is to attempt to subdue the individual by force. Faced with an uncertain outcome, the officer's
level of frustration or anxiety can lead to a potentially life-threatening situation. In some cases, the officer
has no choice but to pull out their baton and start swinging or use even more lethal means.
Gracie Combatives = Solutions to Worst Case Scenarios
The Gracie Combatives course is the only defensive tactics program that effectively prepares law enforcement personnel for all the worst case scenarios they are likely to encounter while on duty. Here are some of the scenarios that are discussed in detail during the Gracie Combatives course:
The officer is on the ground and needs to stand up during a fight against an aggressive suspect.
The violent suspect is attempting to strangle or punch the officer from the full mount.
The officer is mounted on the totally non-compliant suspect.
The officer achieves the mount, but the suspect uses all of their strength to escape from underneath.
The officer achieves the mount but the violent suspect rolls uncontrollably to their knees.
During a deadly force situation, the officer’s firearm malfunctions.
The uncooperative suspect tries to reach up and strangle the officer from the bottom of the mount.
During a routine conversation, the suspect unexpectedly attacks the officer with punches leaving no time the firearm to be drawn safely.
The uncooperative suspect tries to avoid arrest at all cost by staying on his/her feet.
The officer is underneath an extremely aggressive opponent who is determined to achieve a knockout victory.
The heavier suspect achieves the top position and uses their weight to crush the smaller officer.
The officer is operating solo and needs to apply the handcuffs on the resistant suspect.
The suspect is on the ground but is determined to use all their power to get up and fight.
The suspect has had some grappling experience and uses the guard position to immobilize the officer.
The suspect is able to mount the officer but the primary mount escape technique fails.
In a deadly force situation, the officer is underneath the violent suspect and is unable to safely draw his/her firearm.
From the top position, the violent suspect is able to get past officers legs to a much more advantageous position.
The officer is under the aggressive suspect in a crowded area and needs to safely draw his/her firearm.
During a routine conversation the seemingly cooperative suspect unexpectedly rushes the officer immediately seeking to gain control of the firearm.
The larger suspect suddenly catches the smaller officer in a violent headlock.
The suspect resists arrest by turning face down and hiding their hands under their torso.
During the fight the suspect’s focus switches from throwing punches to getting control of the officer’s firearm.
The officer is underneath the violent suspect and needs to stand up immediately.
Gracie Teaching Technologies
“At the Gracie Academy , we believe there is no such thing as a good or a bad student,but there is such a thing as a good or bad teacher.”
-Grand Master Helio Gracie
What makes the Gracie Combatives different than every other defensive tactics course, besides the effectiveness of the techniques, is that we spend so much time teaching our students how to teach. With over 80 years of teaching experience the Gracies have been able to develop teaching formulas that are so scientific and detailed that they are collectively known as the Gracie Teaching Technologies.
The last 2 days of the 5 day course are spent teaching the participants how to incorporate the Gracie Teaching Technologies into their presentation of all the Gracie Combatives techniques so that when they go back to their departments, they can present the techniques in a way that makes it impossible for their students not to learn.
Here is one of the many email messages we receive from Police Officers, dated October 7, 2002:
"I am a ___PD Officer and what I think this department needs is a wake up call.
We are trained at the police academy with minimal skills necessary to confront an opponent. Most
of us recruits who come out of there feel like a piece of meat waiting for the animals to eat you
alive once we get out. I think this is because of the lack of emphasis on self-defense put on this
department for their Cops.
I think Cops should be trained more so than the average Joe because when push comes to shove
the cop MUST win that fight or be subject to serious injury or death. I would like to possibly introduce
the fine art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to this department and let them see the great that it can do for the cops here.
We wish there was a Gracie Academy here to train us to be winners too. Thank you for your time."
PROBLEM:
As charges of excessive force and police brutality continue to mount, fueling expensive, image-shattering
lawsuits, as typified by the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles, the most recent confrontation between
Inglewood, CA officers and 16-year-old Donovan Jackson and numerous cases throughout the country, it has
become painfully obvious, even to the most casual observer, that the tactics employed by law enforcement
training academies are not working.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES:
Most law enforcement training academies offer Self -Defense instruction based
on some form of a traditional martial art. However, most of these systems rely
on punches, kicks or strikes to be effective. Unfortunately, it is not realistic
to expect a positive result when an officer chooses to trade punches with a
combative suspect who may outweigh him by 40 or 50 pounds. Furthermore, what
happens when that fight goes to the ground as more than likely it will? Punches
and kicks are virtually useless at this close range, and the risk of having
a suspect gain control of the officer's weapon increases dramatically on the
ground. (A nationwide survey conducted by the FBI on police fatalities shows
that 23% are killed by their own weapons.) Also, prevalent today, are Law Enforcement
officials receiving ineffective grappeling/ground fighting training from inexperienced
instructors. The result is a false sense of security that only adds to the
following alarming statistics:
Dated: December 2, 2002
FBI National Press Office
Washington, DC.
(202) 324-3691
STATISTICS: In 2001, data reported by 9,688 law enforcement agencies covering more than
74.4 percent of the total United States population showed that 56,666 assaults were committed
against law enforcement officers while they were performing their duties.
Assaults on law enforcement officers were most often committed with personal weapons such as hands, fists,
feet, etc. This form of attack accounted for 80.2 percent of total assaults and resulted in
injuries to 30.0 percent of the victim officers. Offenders used firearms against officers in
3.2 percent of assaults; injuries were reported in 11.6 percent of those incidents.
Knives or cutting instruments were used in 2.1 percent of assaults resulting in injuries to officers in
17.6 percent of those cases. Other dangerous weapons, which accounted for 14.5 percent of
total weapons used in assaults on officers, resulted in personal injuries to 26.3 percent
of the victims.
BACKGROUND:
The Gracie family has been involved in martial arts for nearly 80 years. They are recognized worldwide
for their expertise in the field of Self-Defense, especially following their unmatched success in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts event created by Rorion Gracie. Rorion has gained
widespread acclaim for his specialized Self-Defense programs, including RAPESAFE®, a cutting edge
program that provides virtually any woman, regardless of age, size or physical ability, with the capability
to escape a sexual assault and G.A.R.D.® (Gracie Air Rage Defense), launched before 9/11, is designed
to empower flight attendants to control and subdue unruly passengers.
THE Gracie Combatives SOLUTION:
Several years ago, members of the law enforcement community approached Rorion Gracie and asked him
to develop a program that would give police officers the ability to control violent suspects, ensure
the safety of the officer and be court defensible. The result was Gracie Combatives (Originally known as G.R.A.P.L.E.). Since its inception, the program has been taught to members of
the FBI, Secret Service, Navy Seals, Army Rangers, Special Forces, CIA, and many other federal, state
and local law enforcement professionals, as well as some elite international organizations such as the
Israel Security Agency and the British Police Special Operations Group. In fact, the US Army has rewritten
their combatives manual to include the Gracie Combatives techniques they learned from Rorion Gracie.
Rorion Gracie is confident that after seeing the effectiveness of the techniques Gracie Combatives®
offers, Law Enforcement personnel will want to make Gracie Combatives® a mandatory component of their
basic training. The objective of the Gracie Combatives® program is to make this quality and realistic
lifesaving training techniques available to as many Law Enforcement professionals as possible.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
What is the objective of Gracie Combatives®?
The program was developed with the input of dozens of Law Enforcement Officers and instructors from
a variety of law enforcement agencies to address their specific concerns about officers' non-preparedness
to handle a violent suspect at close range, especially when the fight goes to the ground.
Who can take the Gracie Combatives® program?
Any active law enforcement or military personnel are eligible to participate in the Gracie Combatives®
course. Proof of current active status is required.
Upon completion of the Gracie Combatives® course, each participant is certified by Rorion Gracie to
teach the program's techniques to fellow officers within their department. This certification is valid
for 6 months. A two-day recertification course is required every 6 months to maintain the instructor
certification status.
What makes the techniques taught in Gracie Combatives court-defensible?
Since the moves are based on leverage and technique, rather than strikes and kicks, the physical
damage to the suspect is drastically reduced. Lawsuits and charges of police brutality that are major
concerns of department chiefs nationwide, also decrease significantly as a result of using the
Gracie Combatives® approach. A direct result is an increase in officer morale, as well as an improved
public image for the department.
A current Gracie Combatives® certification is necessary in case a department needs Rorion Gracie to
appear as an expert witness in the event of a lawsuit. Furthermore, participation in the recertification
course maintains an officer's skills at the level that best ensures their safety and that of their fellow
officers.
GRACIE COMBATIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY
Police Report 1 --- Leg Hook Takedown, Modified Mount, Taking the Back, Carotid Restraint, Twisting Arm Handcuffing Technique
I responded to a residence in reference to a theft report. As I met with the suspect’s father I was informed that the suspect was at a friend’s house down the street with the stolen property.
I made contact with the suspect at this residence and began interviewing him about the theft he was accused of. The suspect is described as a white male, 6’3”-250lbs, and believed to be a mental health patient. I am 5’8” and 157 lbs and had completed the Gracie Combatives Instructor Certification Course in Arlington, Texas the week prior to this incident…
As I was interviewing the suspect I noticed he was very nervous. He clinched his fists and tried to intimidate me by clinching his jaw. Since I am a K-9 handler, I wanted to get the suspect near my vehicle so that I could utilize my dog. I began directing the suspect towards my vehicle so that I could isolate him from his friends who were also in the house. The suspect pulled away from me. I told the suspect that he was not under arrest right now, and that all I wanted to do was talk to him. I told the suspect that for my protection I wanted to put handcuffs on him while I interviewed him. The suspect began clinching his fists again, and as I began controlling his right hand to put handcuffs on he swung around with his left elbow trying to strike me. I released the grip with the handcuffs and established the clinch. He attempted to use a nearby car to avoid getting taken to the ground but I was still able to execute the leg hook takedown. When we hit the ground I established a modified mount position. The suspect quickly rolled to his knees and attempted to get up after I established the Back Mount. The suspect was wearing a leather jacket during this incident. Using the collar of his jacket, I was able to apply pressure to his carotid arteries until he agreed to cooperate. As the suspect fell down I was able to handcuff him using the Twisting Arm Handcuffing Technique I learned from the Gracies. The suspect did not sustain any injuries, nor did I. The suspect was arrested for Theft and Resisting Arrest.
Chris Vigil
Defensive Tacticts Instructor
Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office
Police Report 2--- Clinch Control, Body Fold Takedown, Mount Control, Straight Armlock
I was dispatched to a domestic violence call with reports of a man with a knife. Upon arrival the man with the knife had exited the front door and into the front yard. The man was intoxicated and extremely agitated that the police were at his residence.
The man was approximately 6'2" and 200 lbs. I am approximately 6' and 135 lbs. I have attended many of the Gracie Combatives classes taught by Chris Vigil.
The man was given several commands to drop the knife and get on the ground. The man finally dropped the knife but refused to get on the ground… The man kept pacing around in the front yard yelling at officers. The man stood in a fighting stance saying that he wasn’t going to jail…
Once the man got far enough away from his knife I approached him at which point he took an aggressive fighting stance and said that I would have to fight him because he wasn’t going to jail. At this time I closed the distance on the suspect and established the clinch. I then performed a Body Fold takedown to get him to the ground where I was able to achieve the mount. I maintained the mount position as he continued to struggle. In an aggressive attempt to push me off, the man straightened his arm at which point I pivoted on his chest and applied the Straight Armlock from the mount. While I maintained control of his arm other officers easily handcuffed the suspect.
The Gracie Combatives techniques I learned from Chris Vigil enabled me to subdue a much larger, highly agitated, intoxicated man without anyone getting hurt.
Cpl. D Harvey
Patrol Supervisor
Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department
Police Report 3--- Guillotine Neck Restraint
I was dispatched to a traffic accident and upon my arrival, I observed a red Nissan Sentra in the middle of a cotton field. Upon contact with the driver I asked if he was injured, he stated "no". I then asked the driver to exit the vehicle and he responded "F*** you I'm not getting out". Again I asked him to exit the vehicle and he said "f*** you". I advised him that if he refused to get out of the vehicle, I would break the window and pull him out. At that time I pulled my ASP and showed it to the driver. He then stated "f*** you I have a gun", and then quickly reached under the passenger side front seat…
At that time I drew my duty weapon with my right hand and broke the driver’s window with my left hand using my ASP baton. As the window broke, I ordered the driver to show me his hands. He then raised his hand quickly and pointed a yellow colored tube at me. I identified that the object in the driver’s hands was not a gun, so again I ordered him to leave his hands in the air.
The driver then crawled into the back seat of the vehicle, and refused to come out. Other Deputies on scene kept the driver at gun point as I opened the driver’s side rear door, at which point he began kicking at me. I then pulled out my X-26 Taser and advised the driver to exit the vehicle or he would be Tased. The driver continued to kick at me so I deployed my Taser and struck the driver in the left arm and in the stomach. After the first 5 second cycle of the taser, the driver still refused to exit the vehicle. I then reactivated the taser as Deputy Wilson and I pulled the driver out by his legs. As we were pulling him out, he grabbed the back of the seat and attempted to pull himself back inside. I then struck the driver in the stomach with a closed fist causing him to lose his breath. Deputy Wilson and I where then able to get the driver out of the vehicle and onto the ground and during the struggle the Taser probe was dislodged from his body.
As the driver came out of the vehicle he began to fight with the other deputies and myself. We were able to get him on the ground but he was still actively fighting. Deputies were attempting to pull the driver’s hands from underneath his body. The driver then attempted to stand up towards me and lunged towards me in an attempt to tackle me to the ground. At that point, I applied a Guillotine Neck Restraint and used it to render him unconscious. With the driver unconscious we were easily able to handcuff him.
The driver regained consciousness spontaneously about 2 seconds after I released the submission hold. He again began to fight, by kicking and attempted to get to his feet. Deputies were able to control him, and place him into a patrol vehicle.
During the investigation the driver later stated that he had been smoking crack cocaine through out the night.
Thanks to the techniques taught in the Gracie Combatives course by Deputy Chris Vigil, I was able to handle the physical altercation without causing any major injuries to the suspect or to myself.
Corporal Rodney Stevens
Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department
CONTACT & REGISTRATION
For National Security reasons, additional information requires our personal attention. Please contact Program Director Spiro Demetriadi by sending E-mail to the Gracie Defensive-Tactics Department or please call + (888) 494-5345 and press ext.82.
Due to a high volume of inquiries, it may take a week or more to receive a reply.
