Police mull integrating jiujitsu techniques

Top leaders from the operational staff of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council met with nine of the top Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) gym owners at the Marietta Police Department (MPD) recently to discuss creating official POST certification and training for law enforcement.

The meeting was the first of its kind, uniting the leadership of the governing body for Georgia law enforcement with more than a dozen BJJ black belt coaches representing nine BJJ gyms.

Organized by MPD Maj. Jake King and Humberto Borges, this event led to “the overwhelming consensus that the techniques taught by qualified BJJ coaches can increase officer confidence and reduce injuries when properly applied in law enforcement,” according to a MPD statement.

On Sept. 8, King and Borges will present their findings at the next full Georgia POST Council meeting.

Since 2019, King has been implementing BJJ into all MPD use-offorce training. King negotiated a partnership with Borges, a third degree black belt coach and the owner of Borges Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a local gym. Then the department began mandating and paying for all

hires toattend weekly training sessions under Borges’ direction.

The following year, the program was opened to all existing MPD officers. Next, King began collecting use-of-force data and distinguishing between officers who did did not participate in BJJ training.

Data showed “dramatic reductions in injuries when force was required to effect an arrest — both

officers well as people resisting arrest,” the MPD statement added.

In addition to Borges BJJ, the BJJ gyms represented were Alliance Atlanta, American Top Team, Ascension MMA, James Shook Zenith BJJ, Canton BJJ, Gracie BJJ Decatur, X3 Sports and Macon BJJ.

Info: mariettaga.gov/150/police