V. Verbal Judo founder Dr. George Thompson dies at 69
Dr. George "Doc" Thompson, a groundbreaker in communications tactics for law enforcement and founder of Verbal Judo training, died unexpectedly on June 7. He was 69.
Across 27 years, a global team of instructors led by Thompson, has trained more than 1,000,000 professionals in crisis communications. He wrote 4 books on the subject and served on the Technical Advisory Board of the Force Science Institute.
FSI's executive director Dr. Bill Lewinski termed him "a great pioneer who made major contributions to law enforcement on the international scene through his skills in teaching nonviolent methods for defusing and resolving potentially dangerous conflict situations.
His positive impact on police training and officer safety has been remarkable."
His work will continue under a bifurcated arrangement. His heirs now manage training abroad through the Verbal Judo Institute. Domestically, Thompson-based courses are provided for professionals in public safety, corrections, education, mental health, corporate security, and other disciplines under a new brand, Verbal Defense and Influence, managed by the Vistelar Group. Among Vistelar's directors is Gary Klugiewicz, a certified Force Science Analyst and a principal aide to Thompson in recent years. (For more information,
A public memorial service will be held for Thompson from 1000 to 1200 on July 9 at the White Chapel, 197 South St., Auburn, NY. To view or contribute to an online memorial page
