Ten Police Jiu-Jitsu Moves Every Cop Should Know

Every police officer will attest to how many situations escalate into violent altercations. Dangerous confrontations can pit one police officer against an agitated or angry assailant. Often, dangerous assailants may be carrying weapons or outsize the police officer significantly. This is where police Jiu-Jitsu moves come in.

Police BJJ is an application of Jiu-Jitsu meant to disarm and neutralize an aggressor without causing too much physical damage. Using law enforcement Jiu-Jitsu, police officers can neutralize criminals and avoid accusations of excessive force or police brutality.

These ten police BJJ moves should be in every police officer’s arsenal to deal with situations on the street.

1. Double-leg Takedown

Statistically, most fights will end in one of two places — a clinch or on the ground. Nonetheless, all confrontations begin standing, and in most cases, these involve aggressors throwing punches and haymakers.

An effective way to bring the fight to the ground is a double-leg takedown. To perform the double-leg takedown, the police officer needs to change levels and move towards the opponent swiftly.

As the officer closes the distance, the officer needs to grab the areas behind the knee and drive forward. The result will be the opponent on the ground and the officer on top.

Because the ground will likely be concrete, the knee doesn’t need to come into contact with the ground during the shoot. For street application, the double-leg takedown will be similar to a tackle.

2. Clinch

Clinching is a certainty during most altercations. Law enforcement Jiu-Jitsu teaches an effective way to clinch. This method minimizes the risk of strikes from the opponent. It also allows better control of the opponent.

To clinch safely, close the distance by grabbing one wrist and the back of the assailant’s head. While grabbing the back of the head, the forearm of the grabbing arm needs to be against the assailant’s chest.

In this position, the officer can move the opponent around and even pin the opponent against the wall. The clinch also allows the officer to transition into other holds and positions.

3. Arm Drag to Back Control

In the clinch, the officer maintains control of one of the opponent’s wrists. The head is also under the control of the officer’s fish hooks and forearm. If the officer wishes to take the back from the clinch position, it’s possible with the arm drag.

To take the back, the officer should maintain control of the wrist. From here, the officer removes the hand from the opponent’s head or the nape. The hand quickly grabs the tricep on the same arm where the wrist is controlled.

Once the officer establishes the grip of the tricep, a quick tug to the side will expose the opponent’s back. From here, the officer can take the free arm and establish a waist hold.

With the officer behind the assailant, the assailant will be unable to deal damage to the officer. It’s also a good position to begin placing handcuffs.

4. Waistlock Takedown

If the opponent resists while the officer is placing cuffs, a waistlock takedown is the next step. From back control, all the officer needs to do is place one foot behind the opponent’s heel.

Once there’s contact between the officer’s foot and the aggressor’s heel, the officer can simply sit back. The opponent falls, and the officer can either take the back or maintain control of the aggressor.

5. Side Mount

The side mount is one of the most important positions in police Jiu-Jitsu. Side mount is an excellent position for maintaining control and pacifying an unruly assailant.

The trick is to establish a side mount an aggressor cannot shrimp out of. The way to maintain the top position is to ensure that the waist touches the ground. If the waist of the officer is above the ground, the officer’s weight shifts. When this happens, the aggressor can sweep the officer.

While maintaining a good base, the officer must also control the head. While in side mount, the officer must control the head with one arm — the one on the side of the opponent’s head. The arm must be underneath the opponent’s head.

Controlling the arms can be tricky. This is where the next police BJJ move comes in.

6. Key Lock or Americana

The key lock otherwise known as an Americana is usually a submission move. For law enforcement applications, it can be an effective way to control the arm and disarm.

The officer performs the Americana by removing the hand that’s underneath the opponent’s head. The hand should control the wrist of the opponent. The hand that needs to be controlled is one the officer is facing in side mount.

While bending the arm at a 90-degree angle, the officer needs to trace his or her other hand under the opponent’s tricep. From here, the officer locks the hold by grabbing his or her wrist.

The officer can elicit pain by pushing the controlling hand down and raising the opposite shoulder. However, this can break the opponent’s shoulder. The officer must use judgment and exercise caution to minimize damage.

7. Mount

From side mount, a law enforcement officer can transition to the full mount. The full mount is effective if the officer is on the opponent’s hips and not the chest. Too close to the chest, the officer can lose balance and lose the position.

The trick to establishing the mount is the transition. From side mount, the officer should take the knee closest to the waist and slide it over the hip crease. The officer needs to slide the knee until the opponent is in view.

While mounted, the officer still needs to control the opponent’s wrists — like how Matt Serra did before his UFC Hall of Fame induction.

8. Back Mount

Opponents will scramble to escape. For some reason, the most natural reaction is for them to roll onto their bellies. Right away, this places police officers behind the opponent.

The back mount places officers in the perfect position to apply cuffs. Even if the opponent continues to resist, the officer will still be in an advantageous position.

9. Guard Position

Sometimes, the opponent can take the officer down. As a result, it’s the officer who ends up on the ground. To retain control of the opponent and the situation, an officer can use the most common position in police BJJ — the guard.

The guard position allows a fighter to control and submit opponents even from the bottom. To get an opponent into the guard, the officer just needs to ensure that both legs are locked around the opponent’s waist. As well, the officer needs to control the head by pulling it closer to the body.

Because of the close distance, the strikes of an opponent will not be as powerful, causing less damage to the officer.

10. Kimura Lock to Kimura Sweep

From the guard, the officer can attempt a kimura lock. The kimura lock is a shoulder lock that’s applicable from side mount and guard.

In the guard, an officer has to control one of the opponent’s wrists with one hand. Then, the officer takes the other arm, sweeps it under the opponent’s tricep, and establishes the lock. The officer establishes the lock by gripping his or her wrist.

To finish the lock, the officer pushes the wrist towards the ceiling while moving slightly to the side. This places pressure on the opponent’s shoulder.

Other than finishing the lock, the officer can get to a mount position with a kimura sweep. After locking the kimura, the officer does not finish the lock. Instead, the officer raises the hips and kicks off the ground. The opponent will end up with the back against the ground.

Expand Your Police BJJ Arsenal

These law enforcement Jiu-Jitsu techniques are effective as long as officers practice them consistently. Training needs to be under the watchful eye of seasoned BJJ experts that are knowledgeable in all applications of the martial art. Training must also be in a BJJ gym that teaches evidence-based BJJ applications.

Take control of opponents and your law enforcement Jiu-Jitsu progress at Granite Bay Jiu-Jitsu by trying out a free week.