Leo T. Gaje, Jr., Grandmaster of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali system, is recognized worldwide as the leading authority on Edged-Impact weaponry and for revolutionizing law enforcement training through his development of the Defensive Tactics Safety System, the first complete Defensive Tactics system formulated on the principles of Safety and Liability Reduction.

Beginning with the New York City Police Department and other eastern regional law enforcement agencies in 1975, Mr. Gaje developed the revolutionary SAFETY BATON SYSTEM and EDGED WEAPON AWARENESS / STRATEGIC KNIFE DEFENSE programs along with Empty Hands Safety System, Safety Handcuffing and Firearms Disarming and Retention programs to form the DEFENSIVE TACTICS SAFETY SYSTEM. The Defensive Tactics Safety System was the first, and remains today, the only true system that fully integrates law enforcement weaponry and tools (impact, chemical, restraint, etc.), empty hand control tactics, and firearms through the application of the same tactical techniques.

With the introduction of the Safety System Policy and it’s dynamic tactics, techniques, and training drills, use of force training standards were reevaluated and revised for less liability and increased effectiveness. As these programs became adopted by numerous federal, state, and municipal law enforcement agencies across the United States Mr. Gaje was appointed as National Training Director for both the Justice System Training Association and the United States Police Defensive Tactics Training Association. Through his mastery of Edged-Impact weaponry and personal instructional skills Mr. Gaje’s seminars became the major event at training conferences across the nation. During this period Mr. Gaje personally taught and continues to influence the majority of professionally recognized Defensive Tactics instructors today.

In 1987 Mr. Gaje was retained by Calibre Press Inc. as technical advisor for the training video SURVIVING EDGED WEAPONS where he personally demonstrated the lethal applications of edged weapons and their threat to law enforcement officers. Due to the overwhelming professional acceptance of this video and its critical acclaim as “THE FINEST POLICE TRAINING VIDEO EVER MADE”, edged weapon awareness and knife defense training programs became a priority training issue at all levels of law enforcement in the United States as well as at the most prestigious private training facilities.

The DEFENSIVE TACTICS SAFETY SYSTEM is supported by professional endorsements and credentials unmatched in the professional law enforcement community today. Dr. Kevin Parsons, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Armament Systems and Procedures Inc. (ASP) endorses the Safety Baton System as “The most dynamic, innovative, and effective system for the use of the baton and the application of intermediate force” and that “The techniques of Leo Gaje have revolutionized the way law enforcement looks at the use of force.”

The impact and influence of Mr. Gaje continues to be measured with the Defensive Tactics Safety System currently instructed in whole or part by federal, state, and municipal law enforcement agencies in the United States, Europe, and the Republic of the Philippines.

Today, Mr. Gaje remains in demand worldwide as the leading authority on Edged-Impact weaponry, Defensive Tactics, and Officer Survival for professional law enforcement.

For more information go to Survival Edge Systems