A line of women kicking in precision, screamed at their would-be attacker, their hands like bookends on either side of their of heads.

“Get back!” A yell and a kick. “GET BACK!”

“Hands are in! Hands are in!” 

Their martial arts instructor, Denver police Sgt. Noel Ikeda asked the women to imagine that a person intent on hurting them was close enough to kick him in the groin. “Breathe in the courage!” yelled Ikeda.

Particularly passionate, Denver senior citizen Lanie Maes spun and ducked. “Get back!” she yelled and then set herself in for a counter-attack, just in case her swift kick didn’t land quite where she wanted it to. “I came to the class today because I walk my dogs in the dark most of the time,” said Maes. “I have two pugs. Not exactly Rotweiller material.”

As Domestic Violence Awareness month begins, so do the Denver Police Department’s free self-defense classes for women, returning after an 18 month hiatus due to the coronavirus. “We have 15 women here. We had to bring down our numbers during covid but if we can save one woman, then that’s empowering for us,” said Denver Police Department Community Relations Technician LaTrisha Guss, who says the martial arts classes are designed to give women confidence even if their attacker has a weapon like a knife or a gun and they do not. “If you feel like you’re in a hinkey situation, someone is following you they can take that fear and turn it into power by using their voice to scream out, and acknowledge what’s actually taking place.”

The course utilizes a fighting technique called Krav Maga, a hardcore combination of wrestling, boxing, judo, aikido and karate which is used by  the Israeli Defense Forces.

Ikeda, an 8^th degree black belt, says he has taught 5,000 women over 11 years.  “Kudos to Chief (Paul) Pazen. This all started when he was a commander in District One in northwest Denver. So many ladies were getting assaulted in 2010, he reached out to me and asked me to teach this curriculum,” Ikeda said.

Pazen told The Gazette that the classes started because of dialogue police had with the community. “Given the training and expertise of our officers, I recognized that these classes were a great way to serve our residents and prevent crime,” he said.

The four-hour class is split into two separate sessions: one is devoted to prevention and the second focuses on awareness. Ikeda teaches the class with his 20-year-old daughter, Trystan, who is a tiny dynamo. “I come in to help my dad. I’m only 5’4” and I think it helps for women to see that if I can do it, they can too,” said the University of Colorado sophomore.

Officer Lynnea Vento-Carpenter, a Denver police officer with Citywide Impact Team, became a cop after taking the class six years ago. “I came as a citizen and it gave me confidence. It also helped me network with officers who were sworn in. It’s dear to my heart,’ Parrish said. 

Currently the next self-defense class is not scheduled, but they will be announced on the Denver Police Department’s Facebook page, on NextDoor and at community meetings.