Robert Koga - The Man Behind the Legend Book by David Lancey

Biography of Robert Koga, a legend in law enforcement, learned Aikido from Koichi Tohei and adapted it to work in the field of police work.

Length: 272 pages

Publication date: 2009

About Robert Koga:

Robert K. Koga (1930–2013) was a Japanese-American LAPD officer, martial artist, and founder of the Koga Institute, known for creating an influential arrest-and-control training system used in law enforcement. Born in California, he was interned with his family during World War II, where he first began studying judo, later expanding into wrestling and other grappling arts. After serving in the U.S. Air Force and spending time in Japan, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1955 as one of its early Asian-American officers. Drawing on his martial arts background and policing experience, he developed practical techniques for suspect control, searching, and handcuffing that emphasized efficiency and reduced injury risk. In 1973 he founded the nonprofit Koga Institute to teach these methods to police and security professionals, and after retiring from the LAPD in 1979, he continued to instruct and refine his system, leaving a lasting impact on modern law enforcement defensive tactics.