Law enforcement is a challenging career that often puts officers in highly stressful situations, including physical altercations. Although de-escalation and communication skills should be the first step, there are times when an officer must resort to physical tactics to protect themselves and others. This leads to the important question about the best martial art for a police officer.

There is no straightforward answer; different martial arts offer different advantages. Below, we will discuss the most practical martial arts for law enforcement, as well as other questions prompted by officers and the public alike.

Why Should Police Officers Learn Martial Arts?

Police officers encounter unpredictable situations in which a subject may resist arrest and become combative or even be attacked up close. Police officers might consider martial arts training for the following reasons:

• Control without using unnecessary force – Techniques provided through martial arts, such as joint locks and holds, will assist officers in safely controlling a person.
• Confidence – With martial arts training, officers will become more mentally prepared to deal with stressful situations.
• Improved physical fitness – Regular martial arts training will help officers improve flexibility, strength, and endurance.
• Discipline and self-control – There is a common theme in martial arts establishments that emphasizes the importance of being calm and in control.

In conclusion, martial arts will prepare officers for the physical and mental strain of police work.

Best Martial Arts for Police Officers

1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

• Why it’s useful: BJJ emphasizes submissions, holds, and grappling, which are effective ways to restrain a suspect without using strikes and blows.
• Practical benefit: BJJ is a useful tool to help smaller officers restrain larger individuals by teaching them leverage.
• Common use: Many modern police departments across the United States include BJJ as part of their defensive tactics programs.

2. Krav-Maga

• Why it’s useful: Krav-Maga was created for the Israeli military who backed it and wanted to give soldiers a system to use in the real world, and is a self-defense system.
• Practical benefit: Krav-Maga places more emphasis on quickly disarming and quickly neutralizing a person as a threat, then self-defense and survival.
• Best used with: firearms and multiple attackers.

3. Judo

• Why it’s useful: Judo is about takedowns, throws, and control, but no strikes.
• Practical benefit: Officers can effectively control and take the subject to the ground while also limiting injury.
• Second benefit: Builds balance and agility, which is useful in all physical confrontations.

4. Boxing and kickboxing

• Why it’s useful: Any striking art is useful in helping officers defend themselves against an aggressive attack.
• Practical benefit: Improves speed and reflexes, striking power, and overall endurance.
• Caution: Though striking training is useful, some states and agencies do not permit any excessive striking in their use-of-force policies.

5. Aikido

• Why it’s useful: Emphasis on using an opponent’s energy against them.
• Practical benefit: Joint locks and joint control techniques work for an officer while controlling subjects legs, arms, and head to restrain them.
• Con: Aikido is less useful in fast and aggressive confrontations as compared to Krav Maga or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Comparison Table: Martial Arts for Police Officers

Martial Art	Focus Area	Strengths	Weaknesses	Best Use Case
BJJ	Grappling, submissions	Control without striking	Limited against multiple attackers	Restraining suspects safely
Krav Maga	Real-world combat	Disarming weapons, quick neutralization	Physically demanding	High-threat encounters
Judo	Throws, takedowns	Effective control & low injury risk	Less ground control than BJJ	Bringing suspects down safely
Boxing/Kickboxing	Striking & defense	Strong self-defense & fitness	Risk of excessive force	Defending against aggressive attacks
Aikido	Joint locks, redirection	Non-aggressive control	Limited realism	Controlling non-violent resisters

Do Police Departments Provide Martial Arts Training?

Yes, but these vary by country and department. Many Police Academies teach Defensive Tactics – which can involve several techniques borrowed from Judo, BJJ, or Krav Maga; what you see in Police academies representing the real world of police work is often very different to police work.

Everywhere you go though, ongoing martial arts training relies on an officer’s personal engagement and commitment to training – for example – there are departments in Texas where a departmental policy exists to incorporate BJJ training into basic officer training, and also ongoing officer development.

What Is The Most Practical Martial Art For Real-World Policing?

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is widely regarded to be the most practical due to its emphasis on control and restriction of suspects rather than striking, and can easily be contextualized to law enforcement policy.
• Krav Maga is exceptional for life and death situations where weapons are involved and a complete lack of options is apparent.

In real life, a combination of martial arts (i.e., grappling, striking and disarming) may provide the best outcomes overall.

Can Martial Arts Training Reduce Use of Force Complaints?

Research indicates that officers trained in martial arts (in this case BJJ) demonstrated a reduced tendency to strike suspects, use a taser or use a firearm to control suspects.

They simply feel safer submitting suspects physically. This can lead to a reduced level of complaints related to excessive force or suspect injury.

Conclusion

What constitutes the best martial art for a police officer depends on various factors including the nature of the job, content of the environment, and departmental guidelines and policies. While there are many legitimate martial arts, the best may be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Krav Maga.

However, it’s beneficial for a capable police officer, or really any fighter, to cross-train in multiple styles. An officer functions best when familiar with a variety of martial arts; however, at the end of the day, martial arts are not merely about fighting; they’re about control, confidence, minimizing harm to both officer and suspect, and minimizing injury.

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