Get a room full of defensive tactics experts together and you expect disagreement. Different backgrounds, different systems, different experiences.
Instead, what I saw was consensus.
The real surprise came after stepping out of that room. Because while the experts are largely aligned on what works, the field is anything but aligned in practice.
That gap isn’t about a lack of answers. It’s about the persistence of explanations — time, money and injuries — that have started to sound less like barriers and more like myths.
And those myths are keeping agencies stuck.
| RELATED: The certification myth in defensive tactics training
Setting the stage at ILEETA
For the last three years, I’ve presented at ILEETA in St. Louis. This year, I also joined a panel of defensive tactics experts from the U.S. and abroad. The event began with a focused discussion on law enforcement defensive tactics, followed by demonstrations.
The panel, moderated by Fletch Fuller of ReadyUP Tactical, LLC, included Joe “Sully” Sullivan, my Guardians of the Ground co-host; Espen Dahlen-Lervag of Global Training at Axon; Bob Duffey of the Walworth County (Wis.) Sheriff’s Office; Chris Barawed of the Boise (Idaho) Police Department; Kenny Bigbee Jr., a former U.S. Navy SEAL; Kerry “Kato” Murakami of Rectitude Training LLC; and me.
Despite diverse backgrounds, the panel found common ground on the core elements of effective defensive tactics. The clear consensus: training must be frequent and ongoing, delivered by trainers who set a new standard for excellence; Jiu-Jitsu principles must be woven into training; and scenario-based training that fuses multiple skills is non-negotiable for real-world readiness. These essentials, though widely recognized, are still absent in far too many agencies.
That consensus led us to a harder question. Fuller challenged us to examine our own solutions. As the discussion shifted, a troubling pattern emerged: time, money and injuries aren’t just barriers — they’ve become default excuses. Short staffing, overtime, budgets and injury risks are cited so routinely that they’re accepted as reasons not to adapt, rather than problems to solve.
In the latest episode of Guardians of the Ground, recorded at ILEETA, the conversation picks up where the panel left off — bringing together experienced voices to examine what effective defensive tactics training actually looks like in practice.
Time: A real constraint or just the default answer?
Finding time for training is a genuine challenge. Staffing shortages, overtime demands, competing priorities and limited facility access all pile up. The result is that many agencies offer only four to 16 hours of training per year, which is nowhere near enough for operational readiness.
But solutions exist: shorter, more frequent sessions; partnerships with local Jiu-Jitsu academies; and one-hour blocks built into shift adjustments. The reframe that matters most is moving from “we don’t have time” to “how do we use time differently?”
| WATCH: Guardians of the Ground series from Tyson Kilbey
Money: Cost control vs. risk acceptance
Budget pressure is a reality for most agencies. But cutting training isn’t a cost-saving measure. It’s a cost-shifting one.
The expenses don’t disappear; they show up later as poor performance, bad decisions, liability and lives lost. Training costs can be managed by partnering with private entities for free spots, sharing expenses with neighboring agencies and pursuing grants. The question isn’t whether agencies can afford to train. It’s whether they can afford not to.
Injuries: The most cited — and most misunderstood — barrier
Injuries are often cited and widely misunderstood. While training injuries can impact staffing and morale, reducing training is not the ideal solution. Smarter training, safer drills, rigorous safety protocols and skilled trainers who actively manage the tempo and pace of training can dramatically reduce risk.
Dodging training doesn’t eliminate danger. It simply transfers it from the controlled environment of the training mat to the uncontrolled chaos of the street.
For too many agencies, citing these barriers has become the norm, a reflex that halts progress rather than sparks innovation.
The panelists agreed: time, money and injuries are real constraints, but leaders must rise above default answers. Genuine leadership demands an active refusal to treat these barriers as excuses. Agencies making real progress have leaders who inspire innovation by restructuring programs, forging bold partnerships and transforming how training is delivered.
Progress starts when leaders challenge complacency, set bold expectations and hold themselves and others accountable.
Hands-on, principle-based skills are essential
Fuller kept the momentum going as the session moved to hands-on demonstrations, translating principles into practice through live drills. Trainers shared practical techniques with participants, reinforcing the larger themes.
During the hands-on segment, trainers covered distance management, communication, reading pre-attack indicators, closing distance, takedowns and weapon entanglement. Each trainer’s expertise reinforced core principles, highlighting energy efficiency, situational awareness and fitness — topics we’ll explore further in upcoming Guardians of the Ground episodes.
So, what separates agencies that move forward?
If you’re committed to advancing your agency’s defensive tactics program, being in the room is a start, but what matters most is what happens next. The future of training and officer safety depends on closing the gap between words and deeds.
The panel drove home a crucial point: the real gap isn’t between knowledge and practice. It’s between agreement and action.
Nearly everyone knows what needs to change — and most even agree on the solutions. But consensus means little without commitment. Progress only happens when agencies push past excuses and turn shared understanding into decisive action.
| NEXT: Defensive tactics for police officers: Essential strategies for safety and control
