Why Lower Moreland police are learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu
LOWER MORELAND, Pa. (CBS) -- After officials in Memphis released officer body camera footage of the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols last month, a local police agency is speaking out.
The Lower Moreland Township Police Department is learning a unique technique that will help protect officers and the communities they serve.
Inside a Huntingdon Valley warehouse, officers and interns with Lower Moreland township police are learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a part of their controlled tactics training.
"Training and competency equals better outcomes for everyone," Chief David Scirrotto said.
The martial art training started in 2019 when Scirrotto became chief but has since expanded.
The tactics playing out on the mats are also meant to be used in the street.
"Our officers, they're not going to automatically go to the gun or taser," officer Aleksander Sireev said. "We have different skills and tools we can use to deescalate the situation."
All officers with the Lower Moreland Police Department are required to do the training, but two-thirds of the force are going that extra mile and doing more training than what's required.
Monthly training is offered to the 26 officers in the department. Those who voluntarily participate in additional classes are offered incentives like men being able to keep a beard and compensation time.
"We've also opened it up to other regional departments and offered it," Scirrotto said.
Scirrotto is hoping the unique training technique catches on not only in the state but nationally as well.
"We've been able to partner with the state of Pennsylvania," Scirrotto said. "Last year, we did mandatory training. It is now, this year is the second year in a row it is mandatory for every police department in Pennsylvania to provide at least one block of controlled tactics training."
The officers here believe this training is all about better outcomes, not just for them but for the community they serve.
"Everybody who works for a department, they took an oath to that community and our job is to protect the citizens even if they might not see what we're doing," Lower Moreland detective Morgan Caltabiano said.