Press Release

Press Releases

LPSO adds new female self-defense training open to public

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO) is adding a new training to the various courses it currently offers at its regional training facility. The training, which will soon be open to law enforcement as well as the public, focuses on self-defense—specifically, female self-defense.

The class covers how to have a winning mindset, survival tactics like strikes and blocks and how women can best protect themselves in a variety of scenarios. Participants will learn about the strengths and advantages they possess as females, as well as gain the tools necessary to use them properly.

The course and curriculum were created by a female deputy, Sgt. Elizabeth Gangloff, who works in the training unit at LPSO.

Statistically, most men tend to possess more physical strength than most women. That’s why Gangloff aims to teach her students about the many other strengths females possess that pack a punch of their own.  According to Gangloff’s teachings, women have a heightened awareness of their surroundings, females are creative problem solvers and they often remain calmer during stressful situations.

“It’s a very important class. I have two daughters of my own. As they age and gain independence and start going out into the world, I want them to have the situational awareness and the skills to not only recognize a dangerous situation,“ said Sheriff Mark Garber, “but if one is unavoidable and they find themselves in one, to be able to get themselves out of it.”

Taking the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in our community into consideration, future dates for this class are to be determined. Follow the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Facebook page and other social media accounts for updates on when upcoming classes are scheduled for the public.

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