UFC legend Royce Gracie teaching Jiu Jitsu to Bay Area law enforcement

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For those contemplating breaking the law soon, let it be known that a few law enforcement officers across Pinellas County have some new martial arts skills under their belts.

About two dozen officers from the Suncoast Police Benevolent Association (PBA) learned Jiu Jitsu on Friday from a UFC legend.

"I saw that Joe Rogan interviewed Royce Gracie. I started listening and found out he left California and moved to Sarasota," said Suncoast PBA President Jon Vazquez. "I shot my shot on Instagram and said it’d be an honor to host him for my members."

Royce Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist from the renowned Gracie fighting family. The UFC Hall of Famer has trained military and law enforcement personnel worldwide.

"I travel about eight months of the year. When I’m gone, I need somebody to protect my family and nobody better than the cops. I make sure they know what they’re doing," said Gracie. "The idea of great Jiu Jitsu is not to beat up the suspect, but to arrest the suspect without having to hurt them."

Gracie rose to fame for his ability to beat opponents significantly larger than him using Jiu Jitsu fighting techniques. Some officers believe his insight can build on the defense and de-escalation skills they learned in the police academy.

"What they learn at the police academy, it’s not enough to give them confidence to go deal with somebody if the suspect is bigger and stronger. The idea for the officer is to know how to defend themselves," said Gracie.

Many of the police officers attending the session had prior experience with the martial arts style. Many of them plan to take what they’ve learned back to the station and share it with their fellow officers.  

"This teaches us to use what God has blessed us with – our hands and our feet," said Vazquez. "It teaches us how to control a situation in a safer way than using anything on our belt."

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