Erik Hite Foundation launches new program, teaching law enforcement officers martial arts and de-escalation tactics - KOLD
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - The Erik Hite Foundation is launching their new program, No Belt Required, offering a place for law enforcement officers to learn and exercise martial arts and de-escalation tactics.
Organizers believe the program could be a way to reduce use of force incidents across Tucson.
Mike Pelton, a Tucson police officer, said his background in martial arts saved his life in 2016 when he was ambushed in a parking lot.
“He took off his shoes and walked through a gravel parking lot, and struck me in the back of the head with a butt of a knife,” Pelton said. “Without my training, I don’t think I would’ve reacted the way that I did.”
Pelton said he knocked the man to the ground, disarming him with the help of other officers.
“With the training I had in the academy, it most likely would’ve resorted to me being seriously injured or killed or having to use deadly force,” Pelton said.
Nohemy Hite, founder and executive director of the Erik Hite Foundation and wife of Erik Hite, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2008, said when she heard Pelton’s story, she knew this form of training needed to be made accessible to all law enforcement officers.
“One phone call back in December of 2020 and here we are,” Hite said.
Now the No Belt Required Program has a goal for law enforcement officers to grow their confidence with self defense, so they don’t have to resort to use of force in the field.
“The culture of American policing is really based on front loaded education. That means you have an academy, you go for 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, no matter how long the academy is then that’s it,” said Josh Beren, co-founder of No Belt Required.
Without repetitive training, Beren said some officers tend to lose that muscle memory over the course of their career.
“Seven, ten, 20 years later, are you going to know it and are you going to do it effectively, and if your life is on the line or someone else’s, that’s just not good enough,” Beren said.
That’s why No Belt Required said they want to be a platform for officers to decompress mentally.
“Instead of taking all of that, that they see day in and day out, taking it home. They can take it to the mat,” said Hite.
Not only will officers be able to decompress mentally, but they won’t need to rely on a weapon for defense.
“The name, No Belt Required, means you don’t need to be a black belt or a UFC fighter to learn any of this stuff. You also as an officer don’t need to go to your belt all the time where your gun is or your taser are,” Beren said. “With some training and continued education in self defense, awareness and skills, you can grow your confidence and have the ability to have a long career and affect your community positively.”
The foundation is working with Mako Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to kick off the program.
The gym has lowered prices to $30 per month to ensure the training is cost effective for all interested officers.
Organizers are actively working to partner with more gyms across the region.
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source: https://www.kold.com/2022/02/27/erik-hite-foundation-launches-new-program-teaching-law-enforcement-officers-martial-arts-de-escalation-tactics/
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