Even though GST is growing at an unprecedented rate, we are always looking to partner with new hosting departments/organizations to continue making the course available in as many territories as possible.
This page is intended to detail the benefits, eligibility requirements and the expectations so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not hosting is the right option for your organization.
How to Host a GST Law Enforcement Course (for Free!)
Benefits:
- The host will earn one (1) complimentary slot for every 10 paid slots in the course. It is not uncommon for host agencies to earn 5-8 complimentary slots in a single course. Keep in mind that most or all of the paid slots typically come from outside agencies, so it’s very common for the hosting agency to have no out of pocket expense.
- By becoming a host in a new territory, the GST course becomes available to countless officers in the region who would have never otherwise had access to the system.
- It is common for a GST host to form bonds with many fellow Law Enforcement professionals across the nation as they become part of the large GST family. These bonds often extend beyond DT training as GST agencies commonly partner with each other in a variety of LE subjects/courses.
- Gracie University does not charge the host agency any fees, unless the host wishes to purchase additional slots beyond the number of complimentary slots that they earn.
Eligibility:
- The hosting organization must be a first-responder government agency (federal/local/state/tribal/county/college police/hospital police/etc.).
- There must not be an active GST host already established in the region (contact [email protected] to inquire about availability of the region). If there is no established host in the region, then the first agency that can complete the verification process of Step 1 will get first shot at being the official GST host in the region.
- The standard requirement for host’s facilities is 3400+ square feet of continuous mat space. However, we can start the process with as little as 2000 square feet of continuous mat space with the understanding that the mat space will need to be expanded if the enrollments look like they will outgrow the starting mat space.
- All of the mat space must be in one large room such as a gymnasium. The mats and the facility can be rented or borrowed if not owned by the agency. Often times agencies will ask to use the facility from a local high school or BJJ academy if they don’t have enough space/mats at the police academy.
- Host’s facilities must have basic amenities such as restrooms and water fountains.
For a prospective host that is both interested and qualified, here are the four steps they will need to complete to bring the GST course to fruition:
Step 1: The First 15
Send us a list of 15 individuals who are seriously interested, and qualified, to attend the prospective GST course hosted by your organization. The following individuals are qualified to attend:
- First Responders who are employed by government agencies.
- Active members of the Military and Military reserves.
- Corrections officers who are employed by government agencies.
“Seriously interested” is defined as someone who states that they are “highly likely” (90% chance or greater) to attend the course if your agency was to host it.
This list does not include the complimentary slots that the host will earn.
Once the list of 15 is compiled, the prospective host will send it to [email protected]. Someone from Gracie University will then vet the list. It is highly recommended to gather more than 15 as it is common for 3-5 of the list to not verify as they advise Gracie University that their status has changed and they will not be likely to attend (this is usually due to: injury, budgetary changes, command changes, staffing shortages, life changes, etc.)
Once 15 individuals are verified as seriously interested and qualified, Gracie University and the agency will choose a mutually acceptable course date at least 8 months from the date of the completion of this step. Gracie University will then put a temporary hold on that course date (maintaining the hold on the date is contingent on the completion of the subsequent steps).
Step 2: 40 Serious Leads
The host needs to provide a list of 40 serious leads. This is a continuation of the first step, and the first 15 will count towards the list of 40 qualified, seriously-interested individuals. The agency is usually given 6 weeks to achieve this step. This is often reported as the most challenging step of the process. Once the 40 has been sent in to Gracie University and verified, they can move to step 3.
Step 3: 20 Committed
20 individuals must either pay the tuition or send Gracie University a purchase order. The standard time frame given to complete this step is 45 days from the previous step.
Step 4: 30 Committed
30 individuals must have paid the tuition or sent Gracie University a purchase order. The standard time frame given for completion of this step is 30 days from the previous step. Once 30 people have paid the full tuition, we will add the new GST course to the publicized list of upcoming courses so that officers all over the country will be notified and invited to attend. When this happens, enrollment typically doubles or triples before the course takes place.
Conclusion
It's a fair amount of work to get the first one going, but almost every host who successfully completes their first GST course, describes it as challenging but well worth it. In fact, after the first course is complete, almost all hosts become repeat hosts for several years thereafter, some agencies have been hosting annual GST courses for over 13 years!
After hosting several successful GST Level 1 courses, the host can apply to host a GST Level 2 seminar at their location.
If you're interested in hosting, we look forward to working with you. If you have any questions, or you'd like to confirm the availability of your territory before getting started, please contact us at [email protected].
For full GST Program details, click here.