LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Law enforcement across Nevada, the country and the world are getting critical training in techniques that are centuries old yet highly effective: martial arts.
Progressive FORCE Concepts in Las Vegas specializes in training for military, law enforcement, private security and civilians. The Code 4 concepts Police Jiu Jitsu wing is led by Chad Lyman, who has served with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police since 1998.
“The mission is to save lives,” Lyman tells FOX5.
“Martial arts been around forever… What I am doing is I am tailoring it for the job. I began to try different martial arts and ultimately a blend of grappling, controlled positions, striking, and then you have to add weapons and team tactics for law enforcement. That led me to mixed martial arts in Brazilian jiu jitsu,” Lyman said.
Lyman takes his techniques to various law enforcement agencies across the state and the country, helping add to officers’ training.
“Over the years, what society has asked for is for us to be better trained and for us to perform better on calls,” he said. “The transformational part has been giving our officers tools other than that schoolyard fight. It gives the officers more control on a more professional response to the threat,” he said.
From wrestling to martial arts professionals, experts use proper techniques to subdue or “pin” an opponent safely and effectively; these methods can trump sheer strength.
“It slows the resistance, to where I still stay in control,” Lyman said, demonstrating to FOX5 how officers are taught to properly pin a suspect by their hips and avoid their back.
With UFC headquarters in Las Vegas, there are plenty of martial arts and mixed martial arts professionals in the area to support law enforcement.
“By and large, the jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts community supports law enforcement. The UFC was new in 1998. I was the only cop in the room. Now I rarely train where there are not multiple officers in the room,” Lyman said.
Lyman has helped coordinate free training seminars with UFC for law enforcement. Officers can meet various fighters during these sessions.
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
