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Guardians of the Ground: Why guard retention and communication go hand in hand

Kansas City media personality Marcus Officer shares insights from years of working with law enforcement on communication and officer readiness

In this episode, Tyson Kilbey and Joe Sullivan are joined by Kansas City media personality Marcus Officer, who has eight years of Jiu-Jitsu training and experience teaching law enforcement on crisis communication, presentation skills and defensive tactics.

The discussion focuses on how fundamental Jiu-Jitsu concepts of guard retention can help officers who are knocked or pushed to the ground while a suspect remains standing. The group demonstrates how officers can use their legs and foot positioning to maintain distance, disrupt an aggressor’s approach and create opportunities to safely return to a standing position. They also share a simple drill agencies can use to help officers develop these movement-based skills.

The episode also explores the connection between defensive tactics and communication. Officer explains how body language, tone and confidence often shape encounters before words alone do. By consistently training physical control tactics, officers can develop the confidence that supports stronger verbal communication and de-escalation skills in the field.

Catch up on all Guardians of the Ground episodes
Having a principle-based plan to escape provides a tactical advantage — and builds confidence under pressure
Training in the top mount position gives officers the skills to stay in control, limit a subject’s access to weapons and respond effectively if a struggle escalates
Jason High, former UFC fighter and current MMA coach, breaks down wall-control fundamentals, with considerations for weapon retention and an optional ground transition
Learn how two female officers use leverage, bone structure and distance management to overcome size mismatches on the ground
NFL great Tamba Hali and Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Smarr demonstrate a simple, effective tactic for responding when a subject grabs an officer’s outer vest
With lessons for every skill level, Royce Gracie reinforces why proper instruction, consistent training and tactical awareness matter now more than ever
This episode uses side mount to highlight awareness, balance and posture as foundational skills for ground control — regardless of size
Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu athlete and 12-time ADCC Open medalist Brandon George explains why officers should deliberately train mount, turtle and full-duty-gear grappling to build composure in chaotic encounters
Drawing on Force Science and reality-based training experience, Von Kliem and Lon Bartel break down human performance, training gaps and what prepares officers for the field

Jiu-Jitsu training gear:

Here are some must-have training tools from Tyson Kilbey that complement the tactics in this episode:

Tyson Kilbey has more than 28 years of experience in law enforcement, consisting of three years as a hotel security supervisor and 25 years as a deputy sheriff for the Johnson County (Kansas) Sheriff’s Office. He has worked in the detention, patrol, judicial services and training divisions, SWAT and accident investigation units. He is currently a captain for the Sheriff’s Office.

Tyson authored “Personal Defense Mastery,” a follow-up to his first book “Fundamental Handgun Mastery.” Tyson is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under UFC Pioneer Royce Gracie. He has numerous defensive tactics and firearms certifications and has received multiple awards in competitive shooting and grappling. He runs www.tysonkilbeyjiujitsu.com which is a popular Jiu Jitsu Academy in the Kansas City area in which many law enforcement officers are members. He is the Match Director for the Brandon Collins Memorial Shootout, a shooting competition named in honor of a deputy who died in the line of duty.