- Gracie Combatives Fort Bragg, North Carolina
MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
After the UFC took the world by storm in 1993, people all over the world realized that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the only system that would give someone a realistic chance against a larger, more athletic opponent. Among those intrigued by the effectiveness of our self-defense system was a group of very high-ranking members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In 1994, they contacted Rorion Gracie and asked him to develop an intensive course based on the most effective techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which would give soldiers maximum hand-to-hand combat effectiveness in the least amount of time. The result was Gracie Combatives. Since the inception of the Gracie Combatives course, we have taught the techniques to Special Forces, Delta and Navy Seal Operators and uniformed personnel in every branch of our military: US Army, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. In January 2002, the U.S. Army officially adopted Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as its foundation for hand-to-hand combat with the publication of a manual based almost entirely on the original program designed by Rorion Gracie.
By that time, members of the law enforcement community had already asked Rorion to develop a program that would give police officers the ability to control violent suspects and was court defensible. The result was G.R.A.P.L.E. (Gracie Resisting Attack Procedures for Law Enforcement). To date, nearly every federal law enforcement agency including the FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Border Patrol, and CIA along with countless state and local law enforcement agencies utilize the G.R.A.P.L.E. techniques.
GCMLE – The Ultimate Solution
Today, assaults against law enforcement officers and excessive force lawsuits are at an all-time high. It is also common for military personnel to be assigned humanitarian missions, which often consist of performing police duties in foreign countries. In order to accommodate the needs of our clients during these changing times, we have merged a combination of the highly-effective, easy-to-learn techniques of the original Gracie Combatives course with the court-defensible control tactics of the G.R.A.P.L.E. course to form GCMLE (Gracie Combatives for Military & Law Enforcement). GCMLE is the ultimate solution for any military or law enforcement organization.
Why LEOs Need GCMLE
According to the F.B.I., in 2007 there were 59,201 sworn law enforcement officers assaulted in the line of duty. Over 80% of these assaults (47,495) were committed by unarmed perpetrators who only used their hands and/or feet to attack the officer. It is most important to consider the two biggest reasons why law enforcement officers did not shoot these perpetrators before their unarmed assaults were carried out:
- Unjustified – Unless someone’s life is at risk, the officer is not justified in using deadly force.
- Unable – Most physical assaults on officers take place so abruptly that the officer does not have the time or distance necessary to draw his or her firearm or less-lethal weapons, safely.
Since it is so common that officers are assaulted in situations where they are unjustified or unable to use their weapons in their defense, it is imperative that they be empowered with a very effective, court-defensible system of self-defense that will ensure their safety in the worst case scenarios that they are so likely to encounter. GCMLE is the solution.
Continuously Updated Program
While most defensive tactics courses are based on theoretically sound techniques that are designed for semi-compliant suspects, GCMLE is entirely based on proven effective techniques that are applicable against fully resistant suspects. Over the last 15 years, the techniques featured in the GCMLE course have been taught to several thousands, many of whom have had the opportunity to employ the techniques in the line of duty. Reports submitted by these individuals have given us powerful insight regarding the applicability of the techniques. By utilizing this information, we will continue to update the program so that it is always comprised of the most applicable and effective Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques.
Reduced Liability
It is a fact that any law enforcement officer who is not confident in their ability to control a suspect with their hands is more prone to resort to their weapons, prematurely, and all it takes is one excessive force incident to dramatically alter the stability of a police department and its relationship with the community they serve. Since the GCMLE course is based on controlled pain compliance techniques rather than uncontrollable strikes, the physical damage to the suspect is kept to an absolute minimum. Lawsuits and charges of police brutality decrease significantly when GCMLE is used.
Note: If an instructor of the agency or organization holds a valid certification in the GCMLE and a police brutality case arises involving the usage of the techniques, Rorion Gracie will be willing to testify on behalf of the department.
Enhanced Officer Presence
Any law enforcement officer who is not capable of defending him or herself against a physical attack will display less confidence than one who can. This weak “officer presence” is easily detectable and will often cause a suspect to challenge the authority of the officer. Once an officer learns the techniques that are designed to keep them safe during the worst case scenarios, he or she no longer needs to fear the suspect, and for this reason, the GCMLE course is known to boost an officer’s confidence more significantly than any other factor. This newly-found confidence will lead to enhanced officer presence which will be immediately detected by the suspects making them less likely to assault the officer to begin with.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on GCMLE, please click on the additional subcategories to be found on the upper left-hand side of this webpage.
CONTACT & REGISTRATION
For National Security reasons, additional information requires our personal attention. Please contact GCMLE Program Director Spiro Demetriadi by sending an email to: spiro@gracieacademy.com or calling (888) 494-5345 ext. 82. Due to a high volume of inquiries, it may take a week or more to receive a reply.
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