Our Mission

Rectitude Training, LLC exists to develop righteous behavior under stress through purposeful physical training in use-of-force and self-defense applications. We integrate the latest research with combative sports—jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and boxing—alongside scenario-based instruction. These methods are then applied within a weapons-based environment, preparing both law enforcement officers and civilian defenders to perform morally, ethically, and legally when it matters most.

Law enforcement has always been—and should be—subject to scrutiny. Public service demands informed evaluation, with the highest standards coming from within the profession itself. If society holds law enforcement to high expectations, it must also support relevant training that is frequent, consistent, and realistic. Only through such training can critical skills be executed with true automaticity. If we expect behavior that is righteous, we must support officers who train to that standard.

Rectitude Training, LLC is a Preferred Provider for the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency (IRMA), one of the largest risk management agencies in the Chicagoland area, serving public entities for over 35 years.

Rectitude extends beyond law enforcement. The same principles apply to the civilian defender. Through open-enrollment courses, we contextualize proven law enforcement training concepts and adapt them to the realities faced by everyday citizens.

Our team

Kerry “Kato” Murakami

Founder of Rectitude Training, LLC

Kerry “Kato” Murakami is the founder of Rectitude Training, LLC and is dedicated to providing practical, research-driven training for both law enforcement officers and civilian defenders. A retired Illinois law enforcement officer, Kerry spent 28 years assigned to patrol, developing extensive real-world experience in use-of-force decision-making and problem solving.

Kerry began his instructional career in 1995 as a Defensive Tactics Instructor and Field Training Officer, became a Firearms Instructor in 2003, and expanded into Scenario-Based Training instruction in 2014. His background in combative sports includes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and boxing, with a strong emphasis on applying these disciplines within law enforcement and self-defense contexts. In 2019, Kerry earned his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Professor Mark Vives of New Breed Training Center and is currently a second-degree black belt.

As the co-lead of his department’s Scenario-Based Training Program and the lead instructor of its Combatives Club, Kerry was responsible for creating, updating, and implementing integrated training programs in both the range and mat-room environments. He has also consulted with outside law enforcement agencies to assist in the development and modernization of their training curricula, including agency combatives and jiu-jitsu programs.

In early 2021, Rectitude Training, LLC became a preferred training provider for the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency (IRMA), one of the largest risk pools in the Chicagoland area. The focus of this partnership is to increase the frequency and consistency of defensive tactics and combatives training while reducing injuries to both officers and suspects. In 2022, Kerry became an ILETSB Certified Instructor and currently holds four state-certified courses.

In April of 2025, Kerry earned his Combatives Black Belt from Combatives University and has instructed at the Combatives Association Summit in both 2024 and 2025.