Dr. George Thompson

Verbal Judo Tactics & Techniques

Dr. George J. Thompson is the President and Founder of the Verbal Judo Institute, a tactical training and management firm based in Auburn, NY. He has trained more than 700,000 police, corrections, and security professionals and his Verbal Judo course is required in numerous states. The course has been tailored for other organizations, including mental health, the gaming industry, and hospitals.

Doc received his B.A. from Colgate University (1963), his Masters and Doctorate in English from the University of Connecticut (1972), and he completed post-doctoral work at Princeton University in Rhetoric & Persuasion (1979). Widely published in magazines and periodicals, his training has been highlighted in such national media outlets as NBC, ABC, & CBS News, CNN, 48 Hours, Inside Edition, LETN, In the Line of Duty, and Fox news, as well as in the LA Times, NY Post, Sacramento Bee, and other publications.

Doc has created the only "Tactical Communication" course in the world and he has written five books on Verbal Judo, each analyzing ways to defuse conflict and redirect behavior into more positive channels. The Verbal Judo Institute, offers Basic & Advanced courses in the Tactics of Verbal Judo, and a five-day Instructor Training option.

As of July of 2009, several new online Verbal Judo resources are available:

For free audio newsletter for police, corrections and security professionals click here.

To obtain the free multi-media newsletter for civilians click here.

Online and telephone coaching program for individuals who have received prior training in Verbal Judo are available as well. Simply click here.

On a personal note, Doc and Pam are the proud parents of seven-year old, Tommy Rhyno Thompson, and Doc, a survivor of throat cancer, has returned to active teaching. You can contact Doc via e-mail at doc@VerbalJudo.com at VJI, Inc., 2009 W. Genesee St. Rd., Auburn, NY 13021, 315-253-0007.

Full list of Dr. George Thompson results

Winning tactics for speaking with subjects
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Since the Rodney King beating on March 3, 1991 society has been slow to give officers the benefit of the doubt they once enjoyed — making tactical communication more important than ever
The 5 universal truths of human interaction
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Dr. George Thompson explains the five universal truths of human interaction which remain true across the board, regardless of cultural background, gender, etc.1) People feel the need to be respecte...
Know how to communicate, don't just hope for the best
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Note: This excerpt is taken from Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion by Dr. George Thompson. For more info on this or any of Doc’s other books, visit http://www.verbaljudo.com/online-store.ht...
Cops and Aristotle: Rhetorical perspective revisited
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In 1983 I wrote my first book, Verbal Judo: Words as Force. As an officer, I have discovered that the greatest "rhetoricians" in the country are cops, not politicians or professors. It is through t...
Tactical Civility: The path of power and safety
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Tactical Civility is the safest and most powerful way to interact with others, particularly with those who may be potentially dangerous or explosive. Let me define the component parts of the term T...
'Chameleon up': Adapting to survive
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Dr. George Thompson explains how you become who you have to be (to get the job done) in moments of crisis. The chameleon is the Verbal Judo mascot which demonstrates the survival trait of being abl...
Tactical civility: Nice guys finish first
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Dr. George Thompson of the Verbal Judo Institute has trained thousands of correctional personnel over the years and is featured on Corrections1.com.He reminds correctional personnel of the need to ...
"They were safer by our presence"
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Warriors are, by definition, protectors. Here, George "Doc" Thompson gives a wonderful rendition of the necessary "Habit of Mind" that every Peace Warrior should develop in order to truly provide s...
Aim for peace, but be prepared for war
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The most important thing we don’t teach, but should, is a coherent philosophy that can unite the need for physical force and the need to project and infuse those we contact with peace. The "Peace W...
The power of closure
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Here, Dr. George Thompson demonstrates the importance of the credo, "leave people better than you found them at their worst" to increase you personal safety and the quality of your intelligence dow...
Facing verbal confrontations
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In this week's Corrections1 Video Tip, Dr. George Thompson, founder of the world-renowned Verbal Judo, shows you how to face the intense verbal confrontational situations that Corrections Officers ...
Corrections Video: Thompson Peace Story — Sucking teeth in an L.A. jail
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In this week's Corrections1 Video Tip, Dr. George Thompson, founder of the world-renowned Verbal Judo, discusses a way to deflect verbal assaults from inmates.An inmate knows that sucking your teet...
Peace warrior-defender: Philosophy & tactics, Part I
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Part I: What we don't teach, but should Part I of a 2-part seriesBy Dr. George Thompson President and founder of the Verbal Judo InstituteAs I read one incident after another about police officers ...
Peace Story #7: Newspaper and Phone
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A great example of the ‘off-beat’ use of the Practical Appeal we teach in Tac Com. My training Sergeant Bruce Fair showed me a unique way to redirect energy in a domestic dispute. The principle of ...
Peace Story #6: Possessed by the devil!
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“Man Possessed By the Devil” story: a true story that demonstrates how Tactical Communication and Tactical Empathy can save two lives!
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