The Bellevue Police Department's free Women Empowered self-defense workshop returns to City Hall on Sept. 6, with Class 9 covering wrist and ankle drag defense techniques.

The session runs from 1:20 to 3:10 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave. NE. Space is limited, and preregistration is required by emailing [email protected].

The department confirmed on X that the class is still on despite the holiday weekend.

Free since 2022

Women Empowered is a 15-class course open to women and girls ages 11 and up. Each session covers different self-defense scenarios. Earlier classes in the current series taught wrist release techniques, punch block methods and stop block frame maneuvers. Class 9 moves to defending against wrist and ankle drags.

The program is free. It is organized and run by veteran Bellevue officer Craig Hanaumi, a martial arts expert, according to the city's Winter-Spring 2025 newsletter. As of that newsletter, more than 2,100 women from across Puget Sound had participated since the program launched in 2022. Some traveled as far as 60 miles to attend.

The curriculum is based on the official self-defense program taught at Gracie University in Torrance, California, and at more than 200 certified training centers worldwide. The Bellevue Police Department is certified to offer the workshops.

"Being one of the few police departments in the world certified to offer regular workshops like this is a special thing for us," Hanaumi said in the city's 2025 newsletter. He added that the department is proud to offer the program to women at no cost.

No prior experience is required. According to the newsletter, participants have ranged from girls as young as 11 to women as old as 80.

Robyn, a participant quoted in the same newsletter, said the free cost made self-defense training accessible for her as a single mother. "I've always wanted to learn self-defense but could never afford it," she said at the time.

To register for Sunday's class, email [email protected].