The Need For Martial Arts and Defensive Tactics
In Private Security
by Eldridge T. Hawkins
Most generally, “Taiho-Jutsu (arresting art) is a term for martial arts developed by Japan's feudal police to arrest dangerous criminals, who were usually armed and frequently desperate.”[1]
However, its principals, tactics and effectiveness have far-reaching applicability which extend beyond traditional law enforcement into the world of private security. Private security personnel, like law enforcement, not only have a human right to self-defense, but in many instances; a duty to protect others. To successfully accomplish that objective, physical force is sometimes necessary. However, when physical force is deployed, many things can go wrong. Once started, there can be an escalation of force resulting serious bodily injury, death and subsequent liability for the security officer, facility where the incident took place and/or the client of the deployed security firm. Moreover, considering we operate in a digital age where almost everyone has a cell phone, officers without specialized training are more likely to get caught on camera swinging wildly in a physical altercation when they are unable to quickly subdue bad actors. This can hurt a security firm’s public image and lead to an increase in “use of force” complaints from the general public. Accordingly, deescalating conflict when possible and quickly restraining bad actors lawfully as fast as reasonably possible is ideal.
Nonetheless, the reality of physical confrontation in the field for the modern-day security professional exists and there must be training options to prepare officers for that eventuality. The fusion of self-defense and restraint of disruptive or unlawful individuals can be critical for security personnel exposed to the reality of direct physical confrontation in an urban environment or otherwise. A well-organized martial arts program that includes a defensive tactics component fused with a restraining or arresting element is ideal. As such, the training programming cannot only have a sports focus but instead be geared towards street application where there is no referee. A combat Ju-Jitsu program or in this instance Taiho-Jutsu that focuses on quick and effective self-defenses along with arrest/restraint cannot only increase the safety of officers but reduce potential liability and lawsuits as well.
By way of background, for over a decade I have served in a variety of governmental public safety positions including time as Acting Police & Fire Director, Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator and Police Officer for multiple jurisdictions. I also served as the Mayor of Orange, NJ from 2008 to 2012 and have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Presently, I am the CEO/Owner of Black Belt Security & Investigations, LLC, a duly qualified Detective Agency licensed by the New Jersey State Police and authorized by multiple State authorities including New York to operate an armed and unarmed guard security business and have been recognized as a security expert by a variety of media outlets.[2]
Beyond my governmental and law enforcement experience, I have spent over 35 years in the martial arts studying Fusion Kenpo & Combat Ju-Jitsu under my primary teacher Professor Harry Baker 10th Dan who has a lineage that includes Master Kalaii Kano Griffin, Grand Master Ed Parker and extends through Professor Ibrahim Sharif to Dr. Moses Powell, Professor Vee & Professor Ronald Duncan. At the time of this writing, I hold a 6th Dan in Combat Ju-Jitsu (USJJF) under Baker/Sharif and a 6th Dan in Taiho Jutsu under Hanshi Bruce Bethers and the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation. Thus, I can say with confidence that there is in fact a nexus between private security and Taiho Jutsu that we will continue to explore in high level detail here.
Pursuant to an online article from SecurityInfoWatch.com: “According to a 2021 study by the market report service Statista, there were 675,734 public police officers in the U.S. in 2004, and when 2019 concluded there were little less than 700,000. With an estimated 830,000 outsourced security guards in the U.S., that puts the ratio at 1.2 outsourced guards to every public police officer.”[3] Thus, although “use of force” incidents are not fully trackable across the nation and abroad, it’s clear through sheer market presence when compared to public police, that security officers are engrained in the fabric of our homeland security infrastructure. So, training matters.
That said, private security itself, in the context of personnel deployment can be as mondain as viewing cameras, signing people in and out of facilities or guards simply observing and reporting without taking direct physical action. In such a scenario, private security personnel may simply call law enforcement for a traditional police response when an untoward incident arises or the need otherwise occurs. Private Security engagements can also be more active where guards are charged with truly keeping a facility secure from all threats: be it a government site, fast food restaurant, local mall, bank, or your everyday bouncer at a night club. Private security can be more fluid and personnel might be utilized in executive protection, transportation of goods or valuables, movement through combat zones and more. Security officers could be armed with firearms or unarmed, but in all instances a safety mind set is necessary and varying degrees of training is required depending on threat level and assignment specification.
While Taiho-Jutsu can have many practical applications in the world of security, its best discussed here in the context of common/everyday security functions. In a world where police brutality and excessive force are hot button topics, proper martial arts or defensive tactics training for all personnel with a duty to protect should be considered a huge advantage. It can mean the difference between life and death or more commonly a guard and unlawful actor rolling around the floor and swinging wildly in an effort to knock out one another. This runs in stark contrast to the skilled Taiho-Jutsu practitioner being able to use locks and compliance holds to subdue an attacker without necessarily inflicting a large amount of visible damage. In the court of public opinion, appearances can be everything and the jury in a court of law can be unforgiving. So, we must be cognoscente of how security officers use force to control a situation.
In many jurisdictions, law enforcement and security personnel are required to use the minimum force necessary to stop a threat. Failure to do so and using excessive force can yield unnecessary injury, law suits and liability. Superior martial arts training and discipline can reduce the likelihood for the aforementioned legal pitfalls. At present, with over 10 years of operating history, Black Belt Security & Investigations, LLC has never had a “use of force” complaint or an officer injured in the line of duty. This is so despite the fact that security officers in our firm have been assaulted by people kicking and punching, been attacked on more than one occasion with knives and also forced to disarm individuals with guns. I attribute this success to guards having the proper temperament/mindset, quality training and leadership. All of our armed guards receive agency given “use of force training” to ensure their actions comply with applicable laws and select guards make their way to the dojo floor for additional training. It is a huge benefit for a security officer to have some level of confidence in disarming an attacker wielding a knife or bat, utilizing only his bare hands in self-defense. That’s not to suggest lethal force could not be deployed if legally permissible. However, if we are operating under the premise of using the minimum force necessary to stop a threat, ending an incident through de-escalation or hand to hand combat without major injury is ideal.
We must also not forget other less than lethal options security guards may have at their disposal such as but not limited to OC Pepper Spray, ASP Battons, or other blunt objects adapted for law enforcement and/or security use.
In a book Taiho-Jutsu – The Art of Arrests, by Steven & Jeffrey Kaplan it discusses the utilization of the OPN (police nunchaku).
In it they wrote:
Beginning in the 1980’s, a police sergeant named Kevin Orcutt developed the OPN III. This is a complete system… employing nunchakus as a non-lethal controlling device for law-enforcement, stressing ‘control vs. impact’.[4]
Although, the Kaplans acknowledge they did not train directly with the OPN and that it was successfully adopted by over 200 police departments, they seemed to discourage or be unconvinced of its wide spread application in hands that were not especially trained in martial arts. I have utilized the OPN and reviewed the system and find it to be simple enough for the average officer to understand and apply. But this difference of opinion is part of the nuance of the arresting art as there are many variations and applications. As the founder of Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu (USMAF) I am very familiar with the utilization of nunchaku to choke, trap and more for practical self-dense or active control situations. But because most individuals are not armed with nunchaku, there is a transitional focus in Ken-Fu to everyday weapons that can be similarly wielded to restrain or control an attacker. Thus, it is not necessarily important which tool is used to facilitate an arrest/detention, be it a belt, rope, baton etc.; only that the training is there to execute the techniques effectively. The dojo sensei should adapt these rank requirements and supplement them with weapons training legally available in their jurisdiction.
With all of the above in mind, I have studied and reviewed the USJJF/International Taiho-Jutsu requirements and find that its training elements and structure are beneficial for the security personnel who may have a need to quickly subdue actors for their own safety and the benefit of others utilizing Kansetsu Waza (locking techniques), Goshinjitsu Waza (self-defense techniques) and more. Guards should also pay close attention to the areas of Taiho-Jutsu that provide instruction on the utilization of less than lethal weapons to subdue and control a bad actor. The blending of Ju-Jitsu and different forms of martial arts augmented for the purpose of facilitating arrests here certainly embody high training standards and practical techniques. As a former Mayor, law enforcement officer, and security agency owner; I again say with confidence that this training is helpful to further ensure the safety of officers and their ability to manage physical conflict as swiftly and effectively as possible. This reduces the likelihood for unnecessary injury and by extension a reduction in potential liability.
Authored this 28th day of October 2024 by:
Eldridge T. Hawkins, Jr., MBA, J.D.
6th Dan, Taiho-Jutsu/Combat Ju-Jitsu (USJJF)
CEO, Black Belt Security, & Investigations, LLC
Vice President, United States Martial Arts Federation
North East Regional Representative of USJJF/USMAF
State Director for New Jersey, US Taiho Jutsu
Senior Instructor, Baker’s Red Iron Dragon
[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiho-jutsu#:~:text=Taiho%2Djutsu%20(arresting%20art),usually%20armed%20and%20frequently%20desperate
[2]
https://bbsillc.com/media-room/
[3]
https://www.securityinfowatch.com/security-executives/article/53068258/as-police-forces-struggle-can-private-security-industry-seize-the-moment
[4]
See Taiho-Jutsu, Kaplan, (2011), pages 185-186
However, its principals, tactics and effectiveness have far-reaching applicability which extend beyond traditional law enforcement into the world of private security. Private security personnel, like law enforcement, not only have a human right to self-defense, but in many instances; a duty to protect others. To successfully accomplish that objective, physical force is sometimes necessary. However, when physical force is deployed, many things can go wrong. Once started, there can be an escalation of force resulting serious bodily injury, death and subsequent liability for the security officer, facility where the incident took place and/or the client of the deployed security firm. Moreover, considering we operate in a digital age where almost everyone has a cell phone, officers without specialized training are more likely to get caught on camera swinging wildly in a physical altercation when they are unable to quickly subdue bad actors. This can hurt a security firm’s public image and lead to an increase in “use of force” complaints from the general public. Accordingly, deescalating conflict when possible and quickly restraining bad actors lawfully as fast as reasonably possible is ideal.
Nonetheless, the reality of physical confrontation in the field for the modern-day security professional exists and there must be training options to prepare officers for that eventuality. The fusion of self-defense and restraint of disruptive or unlawful individuals can be critical for security personnel exposed to the reality of direct physical confrontation in an urban environment or otherwise. A well-organized martial arts program that includes a defensive tactics component fused with a restraining or arresting element is ideal. As such, the training programming cannot only have a sports focus but instead be geared towards street application where there is no referee. A combat Ju-Jitsu program or in this instance Taiho-Jutsu that focuses on quick and effective self-defenses along with arrest/restraint cannot only increase the safety of officers but reduce potential liability and lawsuits as well.
By way of background, for over a decade I have served in a variety of governmental public safety positions including time as Acting Police & Fire Director, Municipal Emergency Management Coordinator and Police Officer for multiple jurisdictions. I also served as the Mayor of Orange, NJ from 2008 to 2012 and have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Presently, I am the CEO/Owner of Black Belt Security & Investigations, LLC, a duly qualified Detective Agency licensed by the New Jersey State Police and authorized by multiple State authorities including New York to operate an armed and unarmed guard security business and have been recognized as a security expert by a variety of media outlets.[2]
Beyond my governmental and law enforcement experience, I have spent over 35 years in the martial arts studying Fusion Kenpo & Combat Ju-Jitsu under my primary teacher Professor Harry Baker 10th Dan who has a lineage that includes Master Kalaii Kano Griffin, Grand Master Ed Parker and extends through Professor Ibrahim Sharif to Dr. Moses Powell, Professor Vee & Professor Ronald Duncan. At the time of this writing, I hold a 6th Dan in Combat Ju-Jitsu (USJJF) under Baker/Sharif and a 6th Dan in Taiho Jutsu under Hanshi Bruce Bethers and the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation. Thus, I can say with confidence that there is in fact a nexus between private security and Taiho Jutsu that we will continue to explore in high level detail here.
Pursuant to an online article from SecurityInfoWatch.com: “According to a 2021 study by the market report service Statista, there were 675,734 public police officers in the U.S. in 2004, and when 2019 concluded there were little less than 700,000. With an estimated 830,000 outsourced security guards in the U.S., that puts the ratio at 1.2 outsourced guards to every public police officer.”[3] Thus, although “use of force” incidents are not fully trackable across the nation and abroad, it’s clear through sheer market presence when compared to public police, that security officers are engrained in the fabric of our homeland security infrastructure. So, training matters.
That said, private security itself, in the context of personnel deployment can be as mondain as viewing cameras, signing people in and out of facilities or guards simply observing and reporting without taking direct physical action. In such a scenario, private security personnel may simply call law enforcement for a traditional police response when an untoward incident arises or the need otherwise occurs. Private Security engagements can also be more active where guards are charged with truly keeping a facility secure from all threats: be it a government site, fast food restaurant, local mall, bank, or your everyday bouncer at a night club. Private security can be more fluid and personnel might be utilized in executive protection, transportation of goods or valuables, movement through combat zones and more. Security officers could be armed with firearms or unarmed, but in all instances a safety mind set is necessary and varying degrees of training is required depending on threat level and assignment specification.
While Taiho-Jutsu can have many practical applications in the world of security, its best discussed here in the context of common/everyday security functions. In a world where police brutality and excessive force are hot button topics, proper martial arts or defensive tactics training for all personnel with a duty to protect should be considered a huge advantage. It can mean the difference between life and death or more commonly a guard and unlawful actor rolling around the floor and swinging wildly in an effort to knock out one another. This runs in stark contrast to the skilled Taiho-Jutsu practitioner being able to use locks and compliance holds to subdue an attacker without necessarily inflicting a large amount of visible damage. In the court of public opinion, appearances can be everything and the jury in a court of law can be unforgiving. So, we must be cognoscente of how security officers use force to control a situation.
In many jurisdictions, law enforcement and security personnel are required to use the minimum force necessary to stop a threat. Failure to do so and using excessive force can yield unnecessary injury, law suits and liability. Superior martial arts training and discipline can reduce the likelihood for the aforementioned legal pitfalls. At present, with over 10 years of operating history, Black Belt Security & Investigations, LLC has never had a “use of force” complaint or an officer injured in the line of duty. This is so despite the fact that security officers in our firm have been assaulted by people kicking and punching, been attacked on more than one occasion with knives and also forced to disarm individuals with guns. I attribute this success to guards having the proper temperament/mindset, quality training and leadership. All of our armed guards receive agency given “use of force training” to ensure their actions comply with applicable laws and select guards make their way to the dojo floor for additional training. It is a huge benefit for a security officer to have some level of confidence in disarming an attacker wielding a knife or bat, utilizing only his bare hands in self-defense. That’s not to suggest lethal force could not be deployed if legally permissible. However, if we are operating under the premise of using the minimum force necessary to stop a threat, ending an incident through de-escalation or hand to hand combat without major injury is ideal.
We must also not forget other less than lethal options security guards may have at their disposal such as but not limited to OC Pepper Spray, ASP Battons, or other blunt objects adapted for law enforcement and/or security use.
In a book Taiho-Jutsu – The Art of Arrests, by Steven & Jeffrey Kaplan it discusses the utilization of the OPN (police nunchaku).
In it they wrote:
Beginning in the 1980’s, a police sergeant named Kevin Orcutt developed the OPN III. This is a complete system… employing nunchakus as a non-lethal controlling device for law-enforcement, stressing ‘control vs. impact’.[4]
Although, the Kaplans acknowledge they did not train directly with the OPN and that it was successfully adopted by over 200 police departments, they seemed to discourage or be unconvinced of its wide spread application in hands that were not especially trained in martial arts. I have utilized the OPN and reviewed the system and find it to be simple enough for the average officer to understand and apply. But this difference of opinion is part of the nuance of the arresting art as there are many variations and applications. As the founder of Ken-Fu Nunchaku Jutsu (USMAF) I am very familiar with the utilization of nunchaku to choke, trap and more for practical self-dense or active control situations. But because most individuals are not armed with nunchaku, there is a transitional focus in Ken-Fu to everyday weapons that can be similarly wielded to restrain or control an attacker. Thus, it is not necessarily important which tool is used to facilitate an arrest/detention, be it a belt, rope, baton etc.; only that the training is there to execute the techniques effectively. The dojo sensei should adapt these rank requirements and supplement them with weapons training legally available in their jurisdiction.
With all of the above in mind, I have studied and reviewed the USJJF/International Taiho-Jutsu requirements and find that its training elements and structure are beneficial for the security personnel who may have a need to quickly subdue actors for their own safety and the benefit of others utilizing Kansetsu Waza (locking techniques), Goshinjitsu Waza (self-defense techniques) and more. Guards should also pay close attention to the areas of Taiho-Jutsu that provide instruction on the utilization of less than lethal weapons to subdue and control a bad actor. The blending of Ju-Jitsu and different forms of martial arts augmented for the purpose of facilitating arrests here certainly embody high training standards and practical techniques. As a former Mayor, law enforcement officer, and security agency owner; I again say with confidence that this training is helpful to further ensure the safety of officers and their ability to manage physical conflict as swiftly and effectively as possible. This reduces the likelihood for unnecessary injury and by extension a reduction in potential liability.
Authored this 28th day of October 2024 by:
Eldridge T. Hawkins, Jr., MBA, J.D.
6th Dan, Taiho-Jutsu/Combat Ju-Jitsu (USJJF)
CEO, Black Belt Security, & Investigations, LLC
Vice President, United States Martial Arts Federation
North East Regional Representative of USJJF/USMAF
State Director for New Jersey, US Taiho Jutsu
Senior Instructor, Baker’s Red Iron Dragon
[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiho-jutsu#:~:text=Taiho%2Djutsu%20(arresting%20art),usually%20armed%20and%20frequently%20desperate
[2]
https://bbsillc.com/media-room/
[3]
https://www.securityinfowatch.com/security-executives/article/53068258/as-police-forces-struggle-can-private-security-industry-seize-the-moment
[4]
See Taiho-Jutsu, Kaplan, (2011), pages 185-186