The average police officer in America receives less than four (4) hours of hands-on defensive tactics training per year, and it’s not enough. We have long hypothesized that regular off-duty jiu-jitsu training (at least 1 hour per week) for law enforcement officers would increase officer safety, lower department liability, and reduce the likelihood of injuries to suspects, but the evidence supporting this hypothesis has been mostly anecdotal, until now.
On April 1, 2019, Marietta Police Department (MPD) instituted a training program that made weekly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) training mandatory for all new hires during the five months they were in the police academy. The training took place at a carefully vetted civilian owned/operated BJJ academy within the community. The program was so successful that on July 1, 2020, Marietta PD extended the department-sponsored BJJ training opportunity to all in-service officers. To date, 95 of the 145 sworn MPD officers have opted in to the BJJ program and 50 officers have not. The officers who averaged at least (1) BJJ class per week, are referred to as “BJJ officers.” Here is a summary of the data collected thus far:
Training Injuries
-MPD has had 95 officers attend over 2,600 civilian-operated BJJ classes with one (1) reported training injury.
Taser Deployments
-Since the inception of the program, non-BJJ officers used their Taser in 77% of Use of Force (UOF) incidents.
-BJJ officers used their Taser in 54% of UOF incidents (85% of which were used to stop a foot pursuit – not to end the physical altercation)
-23% reduction in Taser deployments in the BJJ officer group.
UOF Injuries to Officers
-In the 18 months prior to instituting mandatory BJJ training, 29 officers were injured while carrying out arrests.
-In the 18 months after instituting mandatory BJJ training for new hires, 15 officers were injured while carrying out arrests.
-48% reduction in officer injuries department wide.
-None of the injured officers were BJJ officers.
UOF Injuries to Suspects
-In 2020, there were 33 UOF incidents involving Marietta PD officers: 20 incidents involving non-BJJ officers, and 13 incidents involving BJJ officers.
-In the 20 incidents involving non-BJJ officers, the suspect sustained injuries requiring hospitalization 65% of the time (13 incidents of suspect hospitalization).
-In the 13 incidents involving BJJ officers, the suspect sustained injuries requiring hospitalization 31% of the time (4 incidents of suspect hospitalization).
-Serious injuries to a suspect are 53% less likely when interacting with BJJ officers.
-BJJ officers are 59% less likely to engage in UOF than non-BJJ officers.
Financial Implications
-Based on an average workers’ comp claim of $4,768, the total estimated savings from the reduction in officers’ injuries is estimated at $66,752.
-Training Investment: $26,000 (2600 department-sponsored classes charged at $10 per class).
-Net Savings for MPD: $40,752
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