safeWrap

SafeWrap is a proprietary system of lateral restraint by which two people can effectively and safely subdue an individual.

The system was created by Gracie University in response to inquiries from healthcare institutions that needed a way to safely restrain aggressive, suicidal, or emotionally disturbed patients in hospitals. With patient safety as the top priority, it was imperative that the system utilize no joint locks and no choke holds. The system was specifically designed to avoid compression of the diaphragm to facilitate breathing and reduce the potential of a panicked response in the restrained individual.

Due to the tremendous success of its application, it was quickly realized that SafeWrap had the potential to save lives and minimize traumas across various public and private sector organizations, while maintaining the public’s confidence in the frontline personnel of these organizations. Institutional applications include:

  • Law Enforcement: Officers can rely on the system to safely subdue individuals and de-escalate the situation before transitioning into the system's lateral handcuffing procedures without ever relying on prone controls.
  • Corrections: For inmates who need to be restrained, corrections officers can use the system to accomplish the task quickly and safely.
  • Military: When military members are interacting with civilians, foreign or domestic, the system can be used to take effective control with the lowest level of necessary force.
  • First Responders: Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics can use the system to safely control a person until law enforcement arrives.
  • Healthcare: Medical professionals can greatly reduce the risk of injury to all parties when using the system to safely restrain patients before transitioning into the system's four-point restraint procedure.
  • Flight Attendants: When faced with an unruly or assaultive passenger at high altitude, flight attendants can use the system to safely restrain the person on the floor or in their seat.
  • Elderly Care: Considering the aging bodies and various states of dementia and frailty in this population, caregivers can use the system to administer safe and compassionate care.
  • Security: From arenas to casinos to retail stores, security guards can use the system to safely control civilians before applying handcuffs or passing them off to law enforcement.
  • Education: With youth violence on the rise, educators can use the system to safely restrain students while also protecting themselves from harm.
  • Childcare: The system can be adapted for safe use on children of any age in the event that they become a threat to their own safety, or that of others, and need to be de-escalated.

...and the list goes on.

Any institution that requires its staff members to interact with the public would benefit from certifying its staff in the SafeWrap system, and once all staff members are SafeWrap certified, any two team members are empowered to handle a crisis with confidence, clear communication, composure, and care.

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We've tested the SafeWrap system on countless people of all ages, shapes and sizes, from civilians to police officers, from white belts to black belts, from young children to 300lb fully resistant men. The system is safer, more effective and easier to learn than any other method of 2-on-1 restraint that came before it.

Before SafeWrap, the most common method of 2-on-1 subject restraint was prone restraint, because people always thought that you had to put someone on their stomach in order to get their hands behind their back for handcuffing. While there are specific situations for which prone restraint is necessary, safe, and effective, when relied upon as the default method of tandem restraint, it can present several significant concerns that increase the risk of panic and injury to everyone involved.

Here are the top considerations when comparing the SafeWrap system to prone restraint:

Safewrap Chart

Reduces Pressure
Using the SafeWrap system, the individual is restrained on their side, in the lateral recumbent position, so that no external weight is placed on the thoracic region, thereby greatly reducing diaphragmatic pressure.

Reduces Weapon Access
One of the greatest dangers of prone restraint is the individual can reach for their waistband or pocket to retrieve a weapon, as their hands are not visible. When utilizing the lateral restraint position of the SafeWrap system, the users have clear visibility and full control of the individual's hands, thus reducing their ability to access their own weapon, or someone else's weapon, in the immediate area.

Reduces Escape
During restraint, any escape attempts may result in increased risk for the restrained individual, the restrainers, and any third parties. The most common and intuitive escape behavior used by individuals in prone restraint, is to try to "build the house," which consists of them pushing off the ground to post on their hands and knees with the goal of returning to a standing position. Since the SafeWrap system provides the users full control of the individual's arms and legs via the lateral restraint position, the individual's ability to "build the house" is greatly reduced, which helps keep everyone safe throughout the encounter.

Reduces Panic
Being forced into prone restraint with the weight of two or more people on your body, will often induce severe panic in the restrained individual. Severe panic impairs the function of the individual's pre-frontal cortex, making voluntary compliance much more challenging to achieve. Since the SafeWrap system restrains individuals in the familiar and humane lateral recumbent position, the likelihood and severity of panic is greatly reduced, making voluntary compliance achievable in the least amount of time possible.

Reduces Injury Potential
A significant concern when prone restraint is used on a resisting subject, is that it often requires three or more people to be effective in what is commonly characterized as a "dog pile" on the individual whom the officers are attempting to lawfully detain. If the officers are not acting as a cohesive team, chaos often ensues which can result in injuries to the officers and/or restrained individual. The SafeWrap system requires only two people, acting in a coordinated manner to safely and effectively deploy the system’s sequential steps to gain control of the individual. Because the SafeWrap System does not utilize joint locks, choke holds, strikes or pain compliance techniques – its designed to significantly reduce the chance of injury. Should additional support arrive on scene to assist beyond the two individuals applying the system, they can then be utilized to secure the surrounding area, enhancing safety for all involved.

Reduces Litigation Exposure
In every use of force there is a risk of injury, but the escalation of force increases these risks. With increased risk of injury, the likelihood of excessive force litigation also increases. When utilizing the SafeWrap system, the effectiveness of the restraint is such that the escalation of force is kept to an absolute minimum. Not only does this reduce the risk of injury to all parties involved, but it also reduces the risk of excessive force litigation.

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Facilitates Communication
When prone restraint is used on an individual, it is often chaotic and unpredictable since the restrainers are each operating independently without a plan, and the random positioning of the restrainers makes communication challenging. When all members of an organization are SafeWrap certified, any two members can work as a team to deploy the system. Communication during the encounter is greatly enhanced by the fact that both users are positioned on one side of the restrained individual, allowing for eye contact and calm communication with one another throughout the entire process.

Facilitates De-Escalation
An essential requirement for successful de-escalation is effective communication with the restrained individual. It has been well established that non-verbal communication is equally as important (if not more) than verbal communication, facial expressions are of critical significance during this process. When the SafeWrap system is deployed, the restrainers have full visibility of the individual's face which greatly facilitates verbal communication while also allowing the restrainers to assess the restrained individual's non-verbal cues, which are often out of sight and undetectable during face-down prone restraint.

Facilitates Intervention
Law enforcement officers have a "duty to intervene" any time they observe excessive force being used by their colleagues. This can be very difficult for untrained officers who, themselves, may be panicking throughout the interaction. Once a team of two SafeWrap certified officers arrives on the scene of a use-of-force encounter, not only are they capable of restraining an individual with the lowest level of force necessary, they can also intervene if they observe untrained officers using excessive force, with the goal of keeping all parties safe.

Facilitates Handcuffing
Among the few benefits of prone restraint is that it positions the restrained individual with their arms under their body thereby reducing the ease with which they can launch an attack on their restrainers. A known disadvantage of this position, however, is the fact that once the restrained individual's hands are buried beneath their body, it is very difficult to extract their hands for handcuff application. A ground-breaking feature of the SafeWrap system is that it contains the first and only lateral handcuffing procedure, which allows for safe handcuff application without utilizing prone restraint. For healthcare and corrections applications, the SafeWrap system also features the safest and most secure method of applying four-point restraints, whether it be on a stretcher or in a restraint chair. These revolutionary applications of the SafeWrap system will change the concept of safe detention.

Facilitates Aftercare
A significant danger associated to prone restraint is the loss of consciousness due to any stimulus or medical condition (known or unknown). The restrainers are often unaware of the restrained individuals state of consciousness due to them lying face-down. Regardless of the cause of the medical emergency, restrainers should continuously monitor the condition of the individual under restraint. The undetectability of acute medical events, when an individual is in prone restraint, is a significant contributing factor to why so many deaths have resulted from its use. Alternatively, the SafeWrap system, restrains individuals on their side, allowing users to visually and tactilely monitor the condition of the restrained individual, ensuring that immediate aid can be rendered in the event of a medical emergency.

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SafeWrap Certification & Licensing
The SafeWrap system is patent pending worldwide and requires a license for institutional use.

The purpose of the license is to ensure: 1) every certified instructor teaches the system to the highest quality standard, and 2) every end user of the system achieves maximum retention and effectiveness in its application.

To obtain a license to teach the SafeWrap system, one must first complete the SafeWrap Instructor Certification Program (ICP). This can be accomplished in a standalone 2-day SafeWrap ICP course, or at one of the 5-day courses we provide for law enforcement or healthcare professionals.

For institutions or organizations that have one or more SafeWrap certified instructors and are willing to commit to certain minimum SafeWrap training requirements, they may obtain a free 12-month license to teach the system to all members of their organization to make sure it is exactly what they are looking for before they commit financially to the system.

Historically, only certified instructors would get access to the online Gracie video curriculums. Once an organization is licensed, however, all members of the organization will receive access to the SafeWrap online video curriculum through GracieUniversity.com. This is critical at organizations where hands-on training is limited to one or two training days per year, since it gives each staff member the ability to log on and review instructional material at any time. Giving end users of the SafeWrap the ability to review materials day or night improves retention and helps ensure the best possible outcomes in use of force encounters.

For these reasons, many organizations mandate that their staff members log on and review the video material periodically, and this administrative viewing confirmation process is a service offered by Gracie University for any organization that wants to take advantage of it.

During the free initial 12-month licensing period, the organization will have the opportunity to evaluate the SafeWrap system's effectiveness in several key categories:

  • Civilian Injury Reduction: SafeWrap is specifically designed to minimize injuries to restrained individuals.
  • Staff Injury Reduction: When staff members don't have a plan, they panic, and when they panic, the risk of injury skyrockets. SafeWrap reduces panic and injury by providing every staff member a clear action plan for safe and effective 2-on-1 restraint.
  • Organization Liability Reduction: By reducing the risk of injury to civilians and staff members with the SafeWrap system, an organization should expect a reduction in excessive force litigation and worker's compensation claims.
  • Improved Public Relations: By avoiding the inflammatory appearance and injurious outcomes often associated with prone restraint, the SafeWrap system can help an organization preserve and improve its relationship with the communities it serves.
  • Ease of Implementation: Unlike other methods of 2-on-1 restraint that require each staff member to memorize complex steps, the principle-based approach of the SafeWrap system makes it easy to learn for anyone, regardless of grappling experience.
  • Effectiveness in the Field: The SafeWrap system is easier and more effective than all previous methods of 2-on-1 restraint, so the observable benefits should be immediate and pronounced.

If, upon completing this 12-month evaluation period, the evidence is irrefutable and the organization concludes that SafeWrap meets or exceeds its expectations in all the categories above, the organization will have the opportunity to extend the licensing agreement upon paying an annual licensing fee commensurate with the size of the organization.

If, however, the SafeWrap system does not meet expectations during the initial 12-month term, the organization may cancel the licensing agreement with no further obligation to Gracie University.

Law Enforcement "Small Agency" Consideration
Small law enforcement agencies (with fewer than 50 sworn officers) may obtain a license to use the SafeWrap system at no cost. Once the instructor(s) in an organization earn their SafeWrap instructor certification, the agency may obtain a free two-year license (the same duration as the instructor certification) to use the system. Even though the license is free, small agencies are still required to honor the terms of the agreement (quality control, minimum hours of SafeWrap instruction, etc.) to ensure the system provides maximum benefit to the agency and its officers.

To obtain a free SafeWrap license with "Small Agency" consideration, please submit the SafeWrap licensing inquiry.

What are the intellectual property considerations for officers who learn the SafeWrap system?
It is not our intent or desire to pursue litigation against any unlicensed individual who independently uses SafeWrap in a use-of-force encounter, even if this individual is a member of an organization who chooses to cancel the SafeWrap license after the free 12-month evaluation term. If, however, an organization or individual is using or teaching the system, by pattern or practice, they are required to have a valid license when doing so, otherwise they may be exposed to intellectual property liability.

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Are there any expectations for the organization to qualify for the 12-month unpaid licensing term?
Besides having one or more instructors complete the SafeWrap Instructor Certification Program, the only requirements to qualify for the free 12-month license are: 1) the organization must agree to provide its staff members at least four (hours) of hands-on SafeWrap training per year, 2) the organization must agree to require quarterly review of a short (approximately 15-minutes) SafeWrap instructional video by each of its staff members (this can be done in group settings [i.e. during pre-shift briefings or "roll-call training"], or solo at a time that is convenient for each staff member), and 3) the organization must be willing to share any videos surrounding SafeWrap applications in the field with Gracie University (provided they are publicly shareable, and not part of an active investigation).

What happens if our organization gets called into litigation surrounding the use of the SafeWrap system?
If a licensed organization gets involved in litigation surrounding the use of the SafeWrap system, Gracie University will provide expert witness support on the agency's behalf, at no cost other than the verifiable out-of-pocket expenses associated with providing such support (hotel, airfare, ground transportation, etc).

If the SafeWrap system exceeds all expectations during the 12-month free trial period, and the organization chooses to renew the license to continue using the system, what is the annual licensing fee?
The annual licensing fee is calculated based on the size of the organization and the number of system users within it. To get a custom quote for your organization, please click here to submit a SafeWrap licensing inquiry.

SafeWrap instructor certification can be accomplished in person at a live course, or the entire course can be completed online from anywhere in the world using the Gracie University interactive online learning system and the corresponding video evaluation process.

The inaugural SafeWrap Instructor Certification Program (ICP) will take place on October 7-8, 2024 at Gracie University Headquarters in Torrance, California, and will be taught by Ryron and Rener.

Bottom line, we believe SafeWrap is the single most important tool any organization can provide its staff members to ensure safer and more effective outcomes in hands-on use-of-force encounters, but we also understand that it is unconventional for a method of restraint to require a license for use.

For this reason, Gracie University is willing to cover the licensing costs for the initial 12-month evaluation term (including the costs for online SafeWrap access for all staff members), so that the organization can experience first-hand how the system will reduce liability, increase staff confidence, save money for the organization, and improve public relations before deciding if they want to commit financially to the system.

In the event that the organization loves the system but cannot continue after the evaluation period due to financial constraints or budget cuts, just let us know and we'll see how we can help. The goal with SafeWrap is to save lives and we want to work with you to make that happen.

To get a custom quote on what the licensing costs will be for your organization, or to start your 12-month free SafeWrap licensing term, please submit the free licensing inquiry and someone from our team will reach out real soon.

Submit Licensing Inquiry

Frequently Asked Questions

SafeWrap is a proprietary system of lateral restraint by which two people can effectively and safely subdue an individual.

The system was created by Gracie University in response to inquiries from healthcare institutions that needed a way to safely restrain aggressive, suicidal, or emotionally disturbed patients in hospitals. With patient safety as the top priority, it was imperative that the system utilize no joint locks and no choke holds. The system was specifically designed to avoid compression of the diaphragm to facilitate breathing and reduce the potential of a panicked response in the restrained individual.

By training all of its staff in the SafeWrap system, an institution reduces the likelihood of injury to all parties during physical encounters, which, in turn, lowers the probability of litigation while improving public relations.


In law enforcement, a traditional 2-on-1 restraint is comprised of two officers turning the subject into a prone position before extracting the subject’s hands to apply handcuffs. This method presents several possible challenges, including, but not limited to: 1) difficulty of hand extraction, 2) propensity towards diaphragmatic compression, 3) easy/concealed weapon access by the subject, 4) escape potential of the subject.

Instead of traditional prone restraint, the SafeWrap system enables its users to restrain a subject in the lateral recumbent position in a way that minimizes and eliminates the challenges associated with prone restraint. Using a series of new processes, body positions, and grip configurations, applied simultaneously by two people, not only are the system users able to safely and effectively prevent subject escape, but they are also able to laterally transition into the application of restraint devices (i.e. handcuffs, four-point restraints, or other) using the newly invented processes, without ever utilizing prone restraint.

Unlike many existing restraint methods which are only reliable on the ground, the SafeWrap system is equally reliable whether the subject is on the ground or an elevated surface like a hospital stretcher, and it also has applications in other environments, including, but not limited to, seated applications.


The intellectual property (IP) rights associated with the SafeWrap system do not affect the personal practice of martial arts in any way, whatsoever.

Gracie University makes no claim to the Twisting Arm Control (aka “Gift Wrap”) position commonly used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), nor does it make any claim to any leg entanglements (aka “leg laces”) that are commonly used in wrestling.

The IP rights afforded to Gracie University extend exclusively to the novel and inventive processes and components of the SafeWrap system with the objective of restraining an individual who poses a threat to themselves or others.

Furthermore, since the SafeWrap must be applied by at least two people against a single subject, there is no possibility that anyone engaging in regular 1-on-1 martial arts practice, BJJ or other, would be able to infringe on the IP associated with the SafeWrap system.


It does not.

The IP rights associated with the SafeWrap system will have no effect on any processes or methods of subject restraint that existed prior to the creation of the SafeWrap system.

Any institution that has a method (or methods) of restraint, 2-on-1 or other, which they previously used or had success with, may continue to use those methods without any concern, whatsoever.

An institution only needs to obtain a SafeWrap license if it is specifically interested in adopting the SafeWrap lateral restraint system for the safety of its staff members and the people with whom they interact.


The SafeWrap system is patent pending worldwide and requires a license for institutional use.

The purpose of the license is to ensure: 1) every certified instructor teaches the system to the highest quality standard, and 2) every end user of the system achieves maximum retention and effectiveness in its application.

To obtain a license to teach the SafeWrap system, one must first complete the SafeWrap Instructor Certification Program (ICP). This can be accomplished in a standalone 2-day SafeWrap ICP course, or at any 5-day Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) Level 2 instructor course.

For institutions or organizations that have one or more SafeWrap certified instructors and are willing to commit to certain minimum SafeWrap training requirements, they may obtain a free 12-month license to teach the system to all members of their organization to make sure it is exactly what they are looking for before they commit financially to the system.

If, upon completing this 12-month internal evaluation period, the evidence is irrefutable and the organization concludes that SafeWrap meets or exceeds its expectations, the organization will have the opportunity to extend the licensing agreement upon paying an annual licensing fee commensurate with the size of the organization.

If, however, the SafeWrap system does not meet expectations during the initial 12-month term, the organization may cancel the licensing agreement with no further obligation to Gracie University.

Law Enforcement "Small Agency" Consideration
Small law enforcement agencies (with fewer than 50 sworn officers) may obtain a license to use the SafeWrap system at no cost. Once the instructor(s) in an organization earn their SafeWrap instructor certification, the agency may obtain a free two-year license (the same duration as the instructor certification) to use the system. Even though the license is free, small agencies are still required to honor the terms of the agreement (quality control, minimum hours of SafeWrap instruction, etc.) to ensure the system provides maximum benefit to the agency and its officers.

To obtain a free SafeWrap license with "Small Agency" consideration, please submit the SafeWrap licensing inquiry.

What are the intellectual property considerations for officers who learn the SafeWrap system?
It is not our intent or desire to pursue litigation against any unlicensed individual who independently uses SafeWrap in a use-of-force encounter, even if this individual is a member of an organization who chooses to cancel the SafeWrap license after the free 12-month evaluation term. If, however, an organization or individual is using or teaching the system, by pattern or practice, they are required to have a valid license when doing so, otherwise they may be exposed to intellectual property liability.


In addition to providing licensed users the right to use the system for safer and more effective outcomes during physical encounters – in law enforcement, healthcare, and everything in between – there are several significant benefits to SafeWrap licensing including, but not limited to:

  • Online SafeWrap Access: Every licensed user will receive 24/7 online access to detailed videos outlining the SafeWrap system. This is critical in all sectors, but particularly useful in law enforcement, where hands-on training is disastrously insufficient in most agencies. Giving each officer the ability to log on and review critical instructional material at any time, day or night, can result in improved retention that may mean the difference between life and death.
  • Expert Witness Support: If a licensed user gets involved in litigation surrounding the use of the SafeWrap system, Gracie University will provide expert witness support on their behalf at no cost other than the verifiable out-of-pocket expenses associated with providing such support (hotel, airfare, ground transportation, etc).

Any agency, organization, institution, or individual that by pattern or practice is teaching this system without a license may be exposed to intellectual property liability. It is not our desire or intent to pursue litigation against any officer or individual who independently uses the SafeWrap system in a use-of-force encounter.


Yes. The SafeWrap system is included in the GST Level 2 Instructor Certification Program, and once an officer successfully completes the program, they are authorized to teach the material for the duration of their certification period, provided they obtain the appropriate license to do so within their agency. It’s worth noting, that the GST Level 2 course only covers the elements of the SafeWrap system that relate directly to law enforcement. There are several additional elements to the system (Seated Application, Restraint Chair Application, 4-Point Restraint Application, Child Application, etc.) that are only covered in the standalone SafeWrap Instructor Certification Program, so if you are looking to get certified in the complete system, above and beyond its standard law enforcement applications, it’s recommended you attend/complete the standalone SW ICP.


Although it may be relatively unknown in some circles, US Patent and Trademark law provides intellectual property protection for any new and useful improvements in four key categories:

  • Process – “an act, or series of acts or steps”
  • Machine – “a concrete thing, consisting of parts, or of certain devices and combination of devices”
  • Manufacture – “an article produced from raw or prepared materials by giving these materials new forms, qualities, properties, or combinations, whether by hand labor or by machinery”
  • Composition of Matter – “all compositions of two or more substances and all composite articles, whether they be the results of chemical union, or of mechanical mixture, or whether they be gases, fluids, powders or solids, for example

There have been countless patents granted for physical processes, and the SafeWrap lateral restraint system meets all the published requirements for such protection.

We are very proud to have created a new process of 2-on-1 restraint that will save lives all over the world; and we are grateful to live in a country where innovation is the bedrock of progress.

Learn more at https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/101_step1_refresher.pdf