DESOTO COUNTY, Miss.— There may be smiles and laughter but this women’s only self-defense course at the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department is serious business.
“An eight-hour class we broke into two nights; a Tuesday night and a Thursday night, four hours a piece. And the ladies learned everything from strikes to getting out of holds, to fighting on the ground,” Desoto County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Alex Coker said.
Since there had never been a women’s only self-defense class, instructors researched to find the right course.
They adapted the SS GT Equalizer program.
“There’s no age limit. they can even be under age 18. We just ask that a parent’s there as well,” Coker said.
Deputy Coker says the class is by no means boring and instructors don’t act like drill sergeants.
This first-ever class was so successful that sessions for December and January are already booked up.
Deputies want ladies to have fun and cut up a little but never lose sight of how this training can make the difference in a dangerous situation.
“Not just in the Mid-South area but also across the nation. People are worried about their safety and they’re worried about, ‘how am i going to defend myself,’ whether I have a weapon or not,” Coker said.
If you’d like to register for the class you can contact Deputy Coker at acoker@desotocuntyms.gov.