Michael D. Schlosser
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Michael D. Schlosser
Life Member - Martial Arts International Federation (MAIF) TM
Life Member - United States Martial Arts Federation (USMAF) TM
Life Member - United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) ®
Member - United States Shotokan Karate (USSK) TM Committee
Member - US & Intl. Taiho Jutsu Advisory Board
Dr. Michael Schlosser retired as the Director of the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois, after 20 years of service - nine years as an instructor and eleven years as Director. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Governor’s State University, a Master’s Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Illinois-Springfield, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He retired as a Lieutenant from the Rantoul Illinois Police Department after 20 years of service. During that time, he held positions as field training officer, field training supervisor, detective, juvenile officer, wellness director, control tactics instructor, and canine supervisor. When he became the director of PTI in 2012, he continued to teach the courses he was passionate about, including de-escalation training, arrest and control tactics, and police officer wellness.
Dr. Schlosser is credited for groundbreaking efforts toward police reform through implementation of innovative curricula for improving police practices. His overall emphasis is on de-escalation training, community policing, and intensive integrated scenario-based training.
Dr. Schlosser, through PTI, has been involved in numerous research projects in collaboration with various colleges at the University of Illinois. Dr. Schlosser has authored dozens of articles, is co-author of the book The POWER Manual: a Step-by-Step Guide to Improving Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience, made numerous radio and television appearances, and given over 200 presentations across the country on topics such as community policing, police tactics, police training, use of force, de-escalation techniques, control and arrest tactics, the intersection of police and race, diversity, police officer wellness, police family wellness, and various other topics related to American law enforcement.
Dr. Michael David Schlosser began his martial arts journey in the 1970s as a teenager, beginning what would become nearly five decades of training, teaching, competition, leadership, and service through the martial arts.
Like many young people of his generation, Schlosser's initial fascination with martial arts was influenced by popular culture. Saturday mornings watching Bruce Lee films on Kung Fu Theater, the television series Kung Fu, and the movie Billy Jack captured his imagination. What attracted him, however, went beyond the fighting skills and physical abilities portrayed on the screen. He was drawn to a common theme these characters represented: the ability and willingness to stand up for people who could not protect themselves and to confront those who would harm others.
What began as the fascination of a young teen gradually developed into something much deeper. Martial arts became connected to a sense of purpose—developing the ability to protect others, building character and self-discipline, and learning to use one's skills responsibly. Those principles would eventually influence not only Schlosser's development as a martial artist, but also his career in law enforcement and his later commitment to teaching police officers.
His earliest formal training was under Master Phillip W. Koeppel in Champaign, Illinois, where he studied Okinawan Karate. That experience established a foundation of discipline, perseverance, character, and respect that would remain central to his martial arts philosophy throughout his life.
From 1980 to 1982, Schlosser trained under Master Joseph Lewis Smith at Parkland College, focusing on Isshinryu Karate. He later continued his Isshinryu training under Master Steve Holy in Champaign. These formative years exposed him to different approaches to traditional karate and helped develop an appreciation for learning beyond the boundaries of any single system.
During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Schlosser continued broadening his martial arts education, training under Grandmaster George Weiser in Michi Shinten Karate-Do, Shinko Ryu Karate-Do, and Shotokan Karate, as well as training under Clark Brooks in Kenpo at BW Karate School. He also spent several years training in Goju Ryu under Master Greg Henderson in Rantoul.
These experiences contributed to a philosophy that would become increasingly important throughout his career: no single martial art has all the answers, and a serious martial artist should remain willing to learn from different systems, instructors, and approaches.
Teaching, Leadership, and the Development of SMAC.
As his experience grew, Schlosser became increasingly involved in teaching and eventually became the lead instructor at BW Karate School. He later assumed responsibility for the school and renamed it Mike Schlosser's Martial Arts and Fitness.
The school became an important part of Schlosser's family life as well. His sons, Chad and Drew, earned black belts in Shotokan Karate, while his daughter, Kristina, trained to the rank of green belt. With the involvement of his children, the school later became Schlosser's Martial Arts and Conditioning (SMAC).
Schlosser's philosophy as an instructor extended well beyond the development of physical fighting skills. He emphasized integrity, character, discipline, respect, physical fitness, personal responsibility, and service to others. These principles became an important part of the culture of the school and reflected his belief that the martial arts should contribute to the development of the entire person.
He also organized karate tournaments that attracted competitors from throughout the Midwest and became increasingly popular over the years. Consistent with his belief that martial arts organizations should contribute to the communities they serve, much of the proceeds from these tournaments was reinvested into the community, including financial support for local youth programs.
As Schlosser's responsibilities at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute increased, he eventually entrusted much of the day-to-day operation of the dojo to Masters Mike and Diane Ostrander in 2008. They continued the school under the name Shotokan Martial Arts Center (SMAC).
Schlosser has remained connected to the school as its Grandmaster, participating in promotions and periodically providing instruction, mentorship, and guidance.
Competition and Continued Training.
Competition has played an important role in Schlosser's martial arts development. Over the course of his career, he has competed in more than 100 martial arts competitions, earning dozens of awards in karate tournaments, kickboxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition in both gi and no-gi divisions.
Among his most meaningful competitive accomplishments are a silver medal in Kata and a bronze medal in Kumite at the Police and Fire World Games, an international competition involving public-safety athletes representing more than 65 countries.
His willingness to compete continued into his 60s, reflecting his belief that martial arts should remain a lifelong pursuit and that instructors should continue challenging themselves physically and mentally whenever reasonably possible.
Competition has also reinforced another important aspect of his philosophy: martial arts development requires a willingness to test oneself, experience both success and failure, learn from others, and continually return to training with something new to improve.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu -
Schlosser's martial arts development eventually expanded extensively into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
He began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Black Belt Jack McVicker, eventually progressing to purple belt. He subsequently trained under Coach Josh Jokish, advancing to brown belt.
Schlosser later continued his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training under Professor Mike Stoller at CU Jiu-Jitsu in Urbana, Illinois, a school under Professor John Veloso Ouano and the Tsunami Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lineage. After more than two decades of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, Schlosser was awarded his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Professor John Veloso Ouano and Professor Mike Stoller.
For someone who had already spent decades training, teaching, and achieving advanced rank in traditional karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offered another important lesson: the value of becoming a student again.
Training in a substantially different martial art required Schlosser to continually examine what he knew, acknowledge what he did not know, and develop new skills in an environment where previous rank and accomplishments mattered far less than one's ability to learn and perform.
The addition of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to his extensive traditional karate background significantly broadened his understanding of grappling, positional control, ground defense, leverage, balance, movement, and the relationship between striking and grappling disciplines.
It also reinforced one of his long-standing beliefs: regardless of rank, experience, or title, a martial artist should never stop being a student.
Black Belt Ranks and Martial Arts Development -
Schlosser's martial arts background reflects extensive training and advancement across several distinct martial arts systems rather than development within only one discipline. Over the course of his martial arts career, he has attained the following ranks:
9th Degree Black Belt — Shotokan Karate
8th Degree Black Belt — Shinko Ryu Karate-Do
3rd Degree Black Belt — Michi Shinten Karate-Do
1st Degree Black Belt — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
These ranks represent different periods, instructors, systems, and areas of emphasis throughout a martial arts journey that began in the1970s. Rather than defining that journey by the specific dates on which individual promotions occurred, Schlosser views rank as a reflection of continued development, responsibility, teaching, and commitment to the martial arts.
His advanced karate ranks reflect decades of traditional martial arts training, instruction, leadership, and contribution to the development of other martial artists. His Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt represents more than two decades of grappling training and his willingness, even after decades in the martial arts, to continue learning in a very different discipline.
Collectively, these experiences have shaped a martial arts philosophy that respects tradition without being limited by it.
Schlosser has never believed that one martial art, instructor, or technique provides every answer. Instead, he has consistently sought opportunities to learn from others and incorporate sound principles from multiple disciplines.
This philosophy has also strongly influenced his approach to law enforcement defensive tactics: no technique works every time. Effective instruction requires adaptability, sound judgment, realistic expectations, and a willingness to continually learn and evolve.
Cross-Training and Lifelong Learning -
Throughout his martial arts career, Schlosser has actively sought opportunities to learn outside his primary disciplines. He has participated in numerous seminars, workshops, training camps, and advanced instructor programs.
He has also welcomed practitioners from Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, and other martial arts into his dojo, believing that martial artists become better teachers and practitioners when they are willing to respectfully exchange ideas with people from different backgrounds.
His continuing education has included programs such as Karate College, along with extensive advanced training in law enforcement defensive tactics and control methods. His law-enforcement-related martial arts education has included Gracie-based police tactics training, and he became a certified Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) Instructor, in addition to completing numerous other defensive tactics and instructor-development programs.
This continued pursuit of knowledge reflects one of the central principles of Schlosser's martial arts philosophy: rank should never become a barrier to learning.
The more experience an instructor acquires, the greater the responsibility to remain open-minded, evaluate new information, test assumptions, and recognize that there will always be more to learn.
Martial Arts and Law Enforcement -
Schlosser's martial arts experience eventually became closely intertwined with a distinguished career in law enforcement and police training.
He served approximately 20 years as a police officer with the Rantoul Police Department, eventually retiring at the rank of Lieutenant. His law enforcement career provided opportunities to apply principles of positioning, control, balance, movement, restraint, awareness, and personal defense in real-world situations far removed from the controlled environment of a dojo or tournament.
Those experiences also taught him an important distinction between martial arts and policing. The objective for a police officer is not simply to defeat an opponent. Officers must make decisions within the law, use force reasonably, exercise restraint when possible, recognize when force is necessary, and continually adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.
In 1998, Schlosser became certified as a Master Control Tactics Instructor. He subsequently provided defensive tactics, control and arrest tactics, and use-of-force instruction to thousands of police recruits and veteran law enforcement officers.
After retiring from municipal policing, Schlosser joined the University of Illinois Police Training Institute (PTI) as a full-time instructor. He continued teaching recruit and veteran officers in use of force, arrest and control tactics, defensive tactics, decision-making, and other areas of policing. He later became Associate Director and, in 2012, Director of the University of Illinois Police Training Institute.
Even while serving as Director, Schlosser remained committed to teaching and maintaining a direct connection with police recruits, veteran officers, and instructors. He retired as Director in 2023 after approximately two decades of service to PTI and continues his involvement in law enforcement education and training.
The combination of traditional martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, police defensive tactics, actual law enforcement experience, and decades of instructor development has given Schlosser a perspective that bridges the gap between martial arts proficiency and the realities of lawful, reasonable, and effective physical control in policing.
Education, Scholarship, and Instructor Development -
An extensive academic background, including a Doctorate in Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, complements Schlosser's martial arts and law enforcement experience.
His doctoral education strengthened his understanding of teaching, learning, curriculum development, instructor preparation, and organizational leadership. He has applied those principles extensively to both martial arts and law enforcement training.
Schlosser has authored numerous professional articles and instructional materials addressing police use of force, control and arrest tactics, officer decision-making, and related subjects. He is the author of Police Use of Force: Judgment, Reality, and Constitutional Reasonableness — A Guide for Law Enforcement Officers, Supervisors, Administrators, and the General Public and a co-author of Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience (POWER Manual).
His work as an educator reflects his belief that technical expertise alone does not necessarily make someone an effective instructor.
Good instruction requires the ability to communicate, adapt to different learners, create realistic training environments, maintain safety, encourage critical thinking, and continually evaluate whether what is being taught can actually be applied under real-world conditions.
For Schlosser, this is another area where martial arts and education intersect. An instructor's responsibility is not simply to demonstrate what he or she can do; it is to develop the abilities, judgment, confidence, and character of the student.
Selected Honors and Accomplishments -
Schlosser's martial arts, law enforcement, educational, and community contributions have resulted in numerous honors and recognitions, including:
2024 Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2024 Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Instructor of the Year – USAMAHOF
2023 Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Bd Distinguished Service Award
2023 University of Illinois Police Training Institute Medal of Integrity
2023 Illinois House of Representatives Certificate of Recognition
2017 Defenders of the Innocent Award, Illinois Innocence Project
2016 Inducted into LeRoy High School Hall of Fame
2013 American Society for Public Administration Model Administrator Award
2004 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement Training
2003 Village of Rantoul Volunteer of the Year
2001 Inducted into Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2000 Rantoul Police Department Commendation for Community Involvement
1986 Rantoul Police Officer of the Year
1984 Department of Law Enforcement Academy, Most Outstanding Recruit Officer
A Lifelong Martial Artist -
Nearly five decades after first becoming fascinated with martial arts as a teenager in the 1970s, Dr. Michael Schlosser continues to view himself as both an instructor and a student.
His martial arts journey has evolved through traditional Okinawan Karate, Isshinryu, Shotokan, Shinko Ryu, Michi Shinten, Goju Ryu, Kenpo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, competition, dojo ownership, law enforcement defensive tactics, police use-of-force instruction, instructor development, academic scholarship, and the mentorship of others.
Throughout those experiences, several principles have remained constant: train realistically, remain open to learning, respect different martial arts and different approaches, leave ego at the door, develop both skill and character, and use martial arts knowledge responsibly.
What began with a young man's admiration for martial artists who seemed willing to stand between others and harm eventually became a lifelong philosophy. Through martial arts, law enforcement, teaching, and service, the underlying purpose has remained remarkably consistent.
For Schlosser, the value of martial arts is ultimately measured by more than rank, belts, trophies, titles, or awards. Its greater value is found in character, continued learning, the people an instructor helps develop, the knowledge passed from one generation to the next, the relationships created through training, and the ability to use one's skills responsibly in service to others.
The motivation has matured considerably since the 1970s, but at its core it remains much the same: Develop yourself. Continue learning. Help others become better. And when necessary, possess the ability and courage to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
For Dr. Schlosser, martial arts is not simply something one achieves. It is something one continues to practice, study, teach, live, and pass on to others.
Dr. Michael D. Schlosser Contact Info -
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.drmikesemp.com/
Life Member - Martial Arts International Federation (MAIF) TM
Life Member - United States Martial Arts Federation (USMAF) TM
Life Member - United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF) ®
Member - United States Shotokan Karate (USSK) TM Committee
Member - US & Intl. Taiho Jutsu Advisory Board
Dr. Michael Schlosser retired as the Director of the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois, after 20 years of service - nine years as an instructor and eleven years as Director. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Governor’s State University, a Master’s Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Illinois-Springfield, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He retired as a Lieutenant from the Rantoul Illinois Police Department after 20 years of service. During that time, he held positions as field training officer, field training supervisor, detective, juvenile officer, wellness director, control tactics instructor, and canine supervisor. When he became the director of PTI in 2012, he continued to teach the courses he was passionate about, including de-escalation training, arrest and control tactics, and police officer wellness.
Dr. Schlosser is credited for groundbreaking efforts toward police reform through implementation of innovative curricula for improving police practices. His overall emphasis is on de-escalation training, community policing, and intensive integrated scenario-based training.
Dr. Schlosser, through PTI, has been involved in numerous research projects in collaboration with various colleges at the University of Illinois. Dr. Schlosser has authored dozens of articles, is co-author of the book The POWER Manual: a Step-by-Step Guide to Improving Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience, made numerous radio and television appearances, and given over 200 presentations across the country on topics such as community policing, police tactics, police training, use of force, de-escalation techniques, control and arrest tactics, the intersection of police and race, diversity, police officer wellness, police family wellness, and various other topics related to American law enforcement.
Dr. Michael David Schlosser began his martial arts journey in the 1970s as a teenager, beginning what would become nearly five decades of training, teaching, competition, leadership, and service through the martial arts.
Like many young people of his generation, Schlosser's initial fascination with martial arts was influenced by popular culture. Saturday mornings watching Bruce Lee films on Kung Fu Theater, the television series Kung Fu, and the movie Billy Jack captured his imagination. What attracted him, however, went beyond the fighting skills and physical abilities portrayed on the screen. He was drawn to a common theme these characters represented: the ability and willingness to stand up for people who could not protect themselves and to confront those who would harm others.
What began as the fascination of a young teen gradually developed into something much deeper. Martial arts became connected to a sense of purpose—developing the ability to protect others, building character and self-discipline, and learning to use one's skills responsibly. Those principles would eventually influence not only Schlosser's development as a martial artist, but also his career in law enforcement and his later commitment to teaching police officers.
His earliest formal training was under Master Phillip W. Koeppel in Champaign, Illinois, where he studied Okinawan Karate. That experience established a foundation of discipline, perseverance, character, and respect that would remain central to his martial arts philosophy throughout his life.
From 1980 to 1982, Schlosser trained under Master Joseph Lewis Smith at Parkland College, focusing on Isshinryu Karate. He later continued his Isshinryu training under Master Steve Holy in Champaign. These formative years exposed him to different approaches to traditional karate and helped develop an appreciation for learning beyond the boundaries of any single system.
During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Schlosser continued broadening his martial arts education, training under Grandmaster George Weiser in Michi Shinten Karate-Do, Shinko Ryu Karate-Do, and Shotokan Karate, as well as training under Clark Brooks in Kenpo at BW Karate School. He also spent several years training in Goju Ryu under Master Greg Henderson in Rantoul.
These experiences contributed to a philosophy that would become increasingly important throughout his career: no single martial art has all the answers, and a serious martial artist should remain willing to learn from different systems, instructors, and approaches.
Teaching, Leadership, and the Development of SMAC.
As his experience grew, Schlosser became increasingly involved in teaching and eventually became the lead instructor at BW Karate School. He later assumed responsibility for the school and renamed it Mike Schlosser's Martial Arts and Fitness.
The school became an important part of Schlosser's family life as well. His sons, Chad and Drew, earned black belts in Shotokan Karate, while his daughter, Kristina, trained to the rank of green belt. With the involvement of his children, the school later became Schlosser's Martial Arts and Conditioning (SMAC).
Schlosser's philosophy as an instructor extended well beyond the development of physical fighting skills. He emphasized integrity, character, discipline, respect, physical fitness, personal responsibility, and service to others. These principles became an important part of the culture of the school and reflected his belief that the martial arts should contribute to the development of the entire person.
He also organized karate tournaments that attracted competitors from throughout the Midwest and became increasingly popular over the years. Consistent with his belief that martial arts organizations should contribute to the communities they serve, much of the proceeds from these tournaments was reinvested into the community, including financial support for local youth programs.
As Schlosser's responsibilities at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute increased, he eventually entrusted much of the day-to-day operation of the dojo to Masters Mike and Diane Ostrander in 2008. They continued the school under the name Shotokan Martial Arts Center (SMAC).
Schlosser has remained connected to the school as its Grandmaster, participating in promotions and periodically providing instruction, mentorship, and guidance.
Competition and Continued Training.
Competition has played an important role in Schlosser's martial arts development. Over the course of his career, he has competed in more than 100 martial arts competitions, earning dozens of awards in karate tournaments, kickboxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition in both gi and no-gi divisions.
Among his most meaningful competitive accomplishments are a silver medal in Kata and a bronze medal in Kumite at the Police and Fire World Games, an international competition involving public-safety athletes representing more than 65 countries.
His willingness to compete continued into his 60s, reflecting his belief that martial arts should remain a lifelong pursuit and that instructors should continue challenging themselves physically and mentally whenever reasonably possible.
Competition has also reinforced another important aspect of his philosophy: martial arts development requires a willingness to test oneself, experience both success and failure, learn from others, and continually return to training with something new to improve.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu -
Schlosser's martial arts development eventually expanded extensively into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
He began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Black Belt Jack McVicker, eventually progressing to purple belt. He subsequently trained under Coach Josh Jokish, advancing to brown belt.
Schlosser later continued his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training under Professor Mike Stoller at CU Jiu-Jitsu in Urbana, Illinois, a school under Professor John Veloso Ouano and the Tsunami Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lineage. After more than two decades of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, Schlosser was awarded his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Professor John Veloso Ouano and Professor Mike Stoller.
For someone who had already spent decades training, teaching, and achieving advanced rank in traditional karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offered another important lesson: the value of becoming a student again.
Training in a substantially different martial art required Schlosser to continually examine what he knew, acknowledge what he did not know, and develop new skills in an environment where previous rank and accomplishments mattered far less than one's ability to learn and perform.
The addition of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to his extensive traditional karate background significantly broadened his understanding of grappling, positional control, ground defense, leverage, balance, movement, and the relationship between striking and grappling disciplines.
It also reinforced one of his long-standing beliefs: regardless of rank, experience, or title, a martial artist should never stop being a student.
Black Belt Ranks and Martial Arts Development -
Schlosser's martial arts background reflects extensive training and advancement across several distinct martial arts systems rather than development within only one discipline. Over the course of his martial arts career, he has attained the following ranks:
9th Degree Black Belt — Shotokan Karate
8th Degree Black Belt — Shinko Ryu Karate-Do
3rd Degree Black Belt — Michi Shinten Karate-Do
1st Degree Black Belt — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
These ranks represent different periods, instructors, systems, and areas of emphasis throughout a martial arts journey that began in the1970s. Rather than defining that journey by the specific dates on which individual promotions occurred, Schlosser views rank as a reflection of continued development, responsibility, teaching, and commitment to the martial arts.
His advanced karate ranks reflect decades of traditional martial arts training, instruction, leadership, and contribution to the development of other martial artists. His Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt represents more than two decades of grappling training and his willingness, even after decades in the martial arts, to continue learning in a very different discipline.
Collectively, these experiences have shaped a martial arts philosophy that respects tradition without being limited by it.
Schlosser has never believed that one martial art, instructor, or technique provides every answer. Instead, he has consistently sought opportunities to learn from others and incorporate sound principles from multiple disciplines.
This philosophy has also strongly influenced his approach to law enforcement defensive tactics: no technique works every time. Effective instruction requires adaptability, sound judgment, realistic expectations, and a willingness to continually learn and evolve.
Cross-Training and Lifelong Learning -
Throughout his martial arts career, Schlosser has actively sought opportunities to learn outside his primary disciplines. He has participated in numerous seminars, workshops, training camps, and advanced instructor programs.
He has also welcomed practitioners from Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, and other martial arts into his dojo, believing that martial artists become better teachers and practitioners when they are willing to respectfully exchange ideas with people from different backgrounds.
His continuing education has included programs such as Karate College, along with extensive advanced training in law enforcement defensive tactics and control methods. His law-enforcement-related martial arts education has included Gracie-based police tactics training, and he became a certified Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) Instructor, in addition to completing numerous other defensive tactics and instructor-development programs.
This continued pursuit of knowledge reflects one of the central principles of Schlosser's martial arts philosophy: rank should never become a barrier to learning.
The more experience an instructor acquires, the greater the responsibility to remain open-minded, evaluate new information, test assumptions, and recognize that there will always be more to learn.
Martial Arts and Law Enforcement -
Schlosser's martial arts experience eventually became closely intertwined with a distinguished career in law enforcement and police training.
He served approximately 20 years as a police officer with the Rantoul Police Department, eventually retiring at the rank of Lieutenant. His law enforcement career provided opportunities to apply principles of positioning, control, balance, movement, restraint, awareness, and personal defense in real-world situations far removed from the controlled environment of a dojo or tournament.
Those experiences also taught him an important distinction between martial arts and policing. The objective for a police officer is not simply to defeat an opponent. Officers must make decisions within the law, use force reasonably, exercise restraint when possible, recognize when force is necessary, and continually adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.
In 1998, Schlosser became certified as a Master Control Tactics Instructor. He subsequently provided defensive tactics, control and arrest tactics, and use-of-force instruction to thousands of police recruits and veteran law enforcement officers.
After retiring from municipal policing, Schlosser joined the University of Illinois Police Training Institute (PTI) as a full-time instructor. He continued teaching recruit and veteran officers in use of force, arrest and control tactics, defensive tactics, decision-making, and other areas of policing. He later became Associate Director and, in 2012, Director of the University of Illinois Police Training Institute.
Even while serving as Director, Schlosser remained committed to teaching and maintaining a direct connection with police recruits, veteran officers, and instructors. He retired as Director in 2023 after approximately two decades of service to PTI and continues his involvement in law enforcement education and training.
The combination of traditional martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, police defensive tactics, actual law enforcement experience, and decades of instructor development has given Schlosser a perspective that bridges the gap between martial arts proficiency and the realities of lawful, reasonable, and effective physical control in policing.
Education, Scholarship, and Instructor Development -
An extensive academic background, including a Doctorate in Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, complements Schlosser's martial arts and law enforcement experience.
His doctoral education strengthened his understanding of teaching, learning, curriculum development, instructor preparation, and organizational leadership. He has applied those principles extensively to both martial arts and law enforcement training.
Schlosser has authored numerous professional articles and instructional materials addressing police use of force, control and arrest tactics, officer decision-making, and related subjects. He is the author of Police Use of Force: Judgment, Reality, and Constitutional Reasonableness — A Guide for Law Enforcement Officers, Supervisors, Administrators, and the General Public and a co-author of Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience (POWER Manual).
His work as an educator reflects his belief that technical expertise alone does not necessarily make someone an effective instructor.
Good instruction requires the ability to communicate, adapt to different learners, create realistic training environments, maintain safety, encourage critical thinking, and continually evaluate whether what is being taught can actually be applied under real-world conditions.
For Schlosser, this is another area where martial arts and education intersect. An instructor's responsibility is not simply to demonstrate what he or she can do; it is to develop the abilities, judgment, confidence, and character of the student.
Selected Honors and Accomplishments -
Schlosser's martial arts, law enforcement, educational, and community contributions have resulted in numerous honors and recognitions, including:
2024 Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2024 Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Instructor of the Year – USAMAHOF
2023 Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Bd Distinguished Service Award
2023 University of Illinois Police Training Institute Medal of Integrity
2023 Illinois House of Representatives Certificate of Recognition
2017 Defenders of the Innocent Award, Illinois Innocence Project
2016 Inducted into LeRoy High School Hall of Fame
2013 American Society for Public Administration Model Administrator Award
2004 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement Training
2003 Village of Rantoul Volunteer of the Year
2001 Inducted into Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2000 Rantoul Police Department Commendation for Community Involvement
1986 Rantoul Police Officer of the Year
1984 Department of Law Enforcement Academy, Most Outstanding Recruit Officer
A Lifelong Martial Artist -
Nearly five decades after first becoming fascinated with martial arts as a teenager in the 1970s, Dr. Michael Schlosser continues to view himself as both an instructor and a student.
His martial arts journey has evolved through traditional Okinawan Karate, Isshinryu, Shotokan, Shinko Ryu, Michi Shinten, Goju Ryu, Kenpo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, competition, dojo ownership, law enforcement defensive tactics, police use-of-force instruction, instructor development, academic scholarship, and the mentorship of others.
Throughout those experiences, several principles have remained constant: train realistically, remain open to learning, respect different martial arts and different approaches, leave ego at the door, develop both skill and character, and use martial arts knowledge responsibly.
What began with a young man's admiration for martial artists who seemed willing to stand between others and harm eventually became a lifelong philosophy. Through martial arts, law enforcement, teaching, and service, the underlying purpose has remained remarkably consistent.
For Schlosser, the value of martial arts is ultimately measured by more than rank, belts, trophies, titles, or awards. Its greater value is found in character, continued learning, the people an instructor helps develop, the knowledge passed from one generation to the next, the relationships created through training, and the ability to use one's skills responsibly in service to others.
The motivation has matured considerably since the 1970s, but at its core it remains much the same: Develop yourself. Continue learning. Help others become better. And when necessary, possess the ability and courage to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
For Dr. Schlosser, martial arts is not simply something one achieves. It is something one continues to practice, study, teach, live, and pass on to others.
Dr. Michael D. Schlosser Contact Info -
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.drmikesemp.com/
