Where injuries and complaints start
Hands-on encounters are where most injuries to officers and to members of the public happen, and where many complaints, investigations and legal claims begin.
Safe control and restraint training
Safer control for officers and the public
Practical, lower-injury ground control and restraint training for police, corrections and security professionals. Grounded in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, built around de-escalation, and designed to protect the welfare of every person involved.
- Delivered by a Motswana black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo
- Aligned with the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force
- Based in Botswana, working across Southern Africa and Europe
The challenge
Physical encounters carry the highest risk
Most officers rarely need to go hands-on. When they do, the outcome often decides whether everyone goes home safe, and whether the public keeps its trust.
Risky traditional methods
Many traditional approaches rely on strikes, pain compliance or holding a person face down with body weight on the back. Prone restraint with weight on the back carries a recognised risk of positional asphyxia.
Too little practice after the academy
Many officers and guards receive very little hands-on control training once basic training ends. Skills fade, confidence drops, and people fall back on force under stress.
Our approach
Control through position, not pain
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo teach how to control a person using leverage, balance and position. We adapt those principles into a calm, structured system for professional use.
De-escalation first
Presence and communication come first. Physical control is used only when it is necessary and proportionate.
Leverage over strength
Good position lets smaller officers control larger people safely, with less effort and less force.
Chest and airway kept free
Control that favours side-lying and recovery-style positions, avoiding sustained weight on the back or chest.
Two-person team control
Coordinated roles and clear communication between officers reduce risk for everyone.
Safe handcuffing and handover
Planned handcuffing from controlled positions, then a safe stand, escort and handover.
Continuous welfare monitoring
Watching for medical distress throughout, releasing and rendering aid when needed, and proper aftercare.
What other agencies report
The evidence from police jiu-jitsu programmes
Police services in other countries have published encouraging results after introducing jiu-jitsu-based control training. These are their reported results, not ours.
Marietta Police Department, Georgia, USA
After introducing weekly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training for recruits in 2019, the department reported that officer injuries fell from 29 to 15 across the department when comparing the 18 months before and after. It also reported fewer injuries to people being arrested and less frequent Taser use among officers in the programme.
Saint Paul Police Department, Minnesota, USA
The department credited its jiu-jitsu-inspired, two-officer control training with lower levels of force, fewer injuries to officers and to the people they arrest, and historically low misconduct settlements. Department figures reported for 2015 to 2020 showed use of force down 37%, suspect injuries down 44% and officer injuries down 25%.
Results reported by those agencies; outcomes vary by programme and context. Figures are self-reported by the departments and have not been independently verified by us.
Who we train
Built for people who may have to take hold of someone
Training is tailored to each sector's duties, settings and legal framework.
Police Services
Lower-injury arrest and control for frontline officers, supervisors and recruits.
Correctional and Prison Services
Safer team control and handover in custody settings, with welfare at the centre.
Private Security Companies
Practical, defensible training standards for guards, supervisors and response teams.
Healthcare and Mental Health Facilities
Calm, low-risk responses for staff and security teams supporting people in crisis.
We also work with schools, campuses and event security teams. See all sectors.
Your lead instructor
Lesedi Bewlay
Born in Gaborone. IBJJF-certified black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and 1st dan black belt in Judo. Active competitor and coach.
Lesedi brings years of mat experience to a simple goal: helping officers and security professionals control people safely, with less force and fewer injuries. As a citizen of Botswana and Ireland based in Switzerland, Lesedi works across Southern Africa and Europe, with a particular commitment to raising standards at home in Botswana.
Meet Lesedi
Programmes
A small, clear set of programmes
From a short briefing for leaders to a full course for frontline staff. Easy to understand, easy to buy.
Executive Briefing
A focused session for leaders on injury and complaint risk in physical encounters, and how safe control fits your use-of-force policy.
Foundations of Safe Control
The flagship course for officers and guards: de-escalation, safe positioning, two-person control, handcuffing and aftercare.
1-Day Workshop
A condensed, practical introduction to safe control and safe handcuffing principles. Ideal as a taster before Foundations.
One-on-One Training
Private coaching for individual officers, security professionals and instructors who want focused, personalised development.
Keep skills sharp. After Foundations or the Workshop, the Ongoing Coaching Programme offers regular follow-up visits, skills check-ins and simple reporting on injuries and incidents over time.
Standards and ethics
Grounded in human rights and the law
Our training is aligned with the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials: legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability, with non-violent means first. It also respects the national law of every country we work in.
Training supplements, and never replaces, your own use-of-force policy, legal advice and medical protocols.
- No neck restraints or chokes
- No sustained prone restraint with weight on the back or chest
- Medical distress recognised and acted on immediately
- Participant safety, medical clearance and safety officers in every session
- Outcome measurement offered as part of programmes
Ready to make physical encounters safer?
Tell us about your team and the situations they face. We will suggest a sensible first step, often an Executive Briefing, and send a clear proposal.