GARDAÍ HAVE ASKED martial arts experts to train their instructors in the ancient Japanese police fighting system of Taiho Jutsu.
In a post on the eTenders page An Garda Síochána has invited experts to apply to train gardaí in a police self defence (PSD) system.
Gardaí are trained in police self defence tactics with handholds, grappling and takedown techniques developed from Judo.
In this latest move they are seeking instructors to change the system to Taiho Jutsu which is a hugely sophisticated method of non-lethal combat first used by Japanese Feudal Police in medieval times.
A new form of the PSD system was invented during the US occupation of Japan following World War Two using the medieval tradition as a base – it is that system that police in Japan use to deal with suspects resisting arrest.
Within the system is a subset of skills around the use of batons which will be critical for gardaí who are armed routinely with a metal ASP extendable baton which they carry on their belts.
Taiho Jutsu was designed for so-called “hands-on” tactics in conjunction with the use of the Japanese keibo, a short police baton.
In more recent years the Japanese police have adopted an extending baton and the PSD protocols were updated to take account of that.
Typical of garda tender invitations it is scant on detail befitting the notoriously secretive organisation.
“An Garda Síochána invites tenders to tender for the Provision of Instructor Level & Train the Trainer Training in Taiho Jutsu or Equivalent Police Self Defence Safety Training,” it reads.
It is understood that the successful tender will see them train gardaí based in Templemore Garda College who will then train recruits.
The training used mostly judo techniques and includes handholds such as the “goose neck” and “hammer lock”. The training also includes handcuffing techniques and use of the baton – it is thought a new programme would join the separate modules together.
The garda course is part of the training programme for recruits – specific techniques are also trained later for gardaí who join the Public Order Unit.
Sources have said there is a need to take greater account of the changing face of street violence but also a more formalised, and more detailed, technique for disarming violent suspects.
There is also a desire by garda management, sources added, to reduce the problem of assaults on gardaí during their duties.
Other self defence techniques used by police around the world include Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Krav Maga.
Police use of force is a prickly subject in Ireland and every month the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris includes it in a written report to the Policing Authority.
Gardaí now must include every time they use force during an incident including handcuffing, baton strikes, pepper spray and handholds.
In his most recent report the Garda Commissioner said that 1,149 uses of force by gardaí were recorded in July, bringing the total to almost 6,914 for 2022 so far.
The most recent Policing Authority report showed a rise in the use of force involving gardaí, with batons and incapacitant sprays recorded at 118 times. In June that was 104 times.
Pepper spray was used by gardaí 95 times in June with batons used 22 times and a non-lethal firearm used once.
The non-lethal firearm is only used by Armed Support Units or the Emergency Response Unit and not routinely carried by uniform gardaí.
All gardaí must follow a set criteria and protocol in the use of force with it being necessary, legal and proportional to the threat they face.
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