2024 CONFERENCE

• Commander’s Course – (3 Days)

This course will start with a Homeland Security presentation on federal funding for SWAT teams. Attendees will receive a block of instruction from one of the most requested presenters at the California State Tactical Officers annual conference in Culture Centered Leadership from our conference guest speaker Jon Becker.

• The next two and a half days will cover:
  • The role of the SWAT Commander in contemporary SWAT operations
  • Principle based decision making
  • Preparing for large scale critical incidents
  • Leadership during critical incidents
  • Understanding and utilizing decision making exercises
  • Creating a team philosophy and doctrine
  • Use of force review and analysis and creating feedback loops for training
  • Creating contingency plans for SWAT operations
  • SWAT’s role in preparing patrol officers to respond to critical incidents
  • SWAT MOU’s and Mutual Aid Agreements
  • Legal – understanding the law during SWAT operations
  • Debriefs of large-scale critical incidents across the United States
  • SWAT’s role in active shooter response
  • Response to Barricaded Suspects, Hostage Rescue Operation

• LAPD SWAT Tactical Movement and Methodology (3 Days) – FULL

• NYPD ESU Tactics (3 Days) – FULL

• SWAT Breaching (3 Days) – CANCELLED

• Sniper Course (3 Days)
  • The course will focus on shooting from alternate shooting positions/platforms. Students will learn how weapons can effect trajectory as well as how to build a stable shooting platform on a variety of positions/platforms.
  • Subjects covered:
    • Supported and unsupported alternative shooting positions.
    • Using scope reticles for hold overs and leads.
    • Multiple target engagement techniques.
    • Field exercises
  • Day 1-2 will be the Applied Precision Rifle Course. Day 3 will be an 8-hr. workshop working on domestic Sniper field craft and briefing operations.

• SWAT Rifle and Pistol (3 Days)
  • This course will build upon solid shooting fundamentals and move into practical application. Shooters will learn advanced, practical, combat-proven carbine and pistol techniques. This is an Advanced level course, designed to introduce and expand the knowledge of manipulating both carbine and pistol platforms and how to push the limits of performance.
  • MINIMUM MATERIAL COVERED INCLUDES:
    • Lateral shooting techniques
    • Pistol to rifle transitions
    • Instinctive firing
    • Alternative firing positions
    • Positional shooting
    • Extended range pistol shooting
    • Extended Range Carbine shooting
    • Target discrimination
    • Stress shooting
    • Alternative aiming
    • Utilizing cover
    • Offhand shooting
    • Partner Maneuvering
  • Day 1-2 will be Gunfighter Rifle Pistol course. Day 3 will be an 8 hr. CLEET Accredited course focusing on SWAT Shooting standards. This will focus on identifying what skills need to be trained, how to prioritize the skills, and how to design standards to measure the skills.

• Ballistic Shield – Armourer’s Choice (2 Days)
  • Instructors will be trained to deploy the shields during an operation with great mobility, flexibility, and accuracy, without the risk of malfunctions to the weapon system. Instructors will learn to adjust and deploy the shield in any environment to address threats with confidence. Instructors will learn how to fix malfunctions with both hands and fight in an offensive mode with both weapon systems (RIFLE and SIDEARM) incorporating Standing, Kneeling, Prone, Movement Drills, Multiple Target Drills, Vehicle Assaults, Rescues, Inner / Outer Perimeter, Building Searches, and Team Movement Drills.

• Negotiations: An In-Depth Framework for Preparation and Training (2 Days)
  • This two-day training provides negotiators with insights into the foundations for the craft of negotiations.
  • Court Preparation for negotiators: The position of negotiator requires a specific ability to communicate and to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. It is imperative that those who choose to take on the responsibilities of this noble craft are prepared to be challenged both on and off the field, meaning, when the negotiation is finished, the job is not. In addition to the skills required for negotiation, negotiators must master their ability to document and to articulate their knowledge and expertise. This block of instruction takes an in-depth look at what negotiators should understand and what they should consider to prepare for the eventuality of testifying as a negotiator.
  • Concepts of Training: “To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” Winston S. Churchill
  • This block of training provides concepts for teams to facilitate continuing training either in house with their own negotiation and/or tactical teams, or in conjunction with other agencies. Included there will be a number of training exercises for attendees to participate in and practice their craft.
  • Scenario Writing: Negotiation teams are highly encouraged to incorporate scenario-based training in their annual training schedules. It is important to understand the concepts for developing training objectives then assure that they are covered in the scenario-based training. This block is a continuation of training concepts that includes the fundamentals of writing scenarios that may range from simple back-to-back exercises to full blown scenarios that may include a multitude of responders for critical incidents. At the conclusion of the lecture portion of this training, participants will be divided into groups, and each group, as a team, will write a scenario on a given topic. Each group will then work as a team to facilitate their completed scenario for another group, and in turn, work through a scenario provided by another group. At the conclusion, the written scenarios will be provided to the instructors and distributed to attending teams for use in future training.
  • Scenarios: Realistic training provides an opportunity for negotiators to practice and improve upon the fundamental skills of their craft. Participants will have the opportunity to both practice their negotiation skills by working through a scenario provided by another group and learn how / improve upon their skills to facilitate scenario-based training. This block will provide the foundational skills to facilitate scenario-based training with their own agencies throughout the year.
  • Finding the Motivation: Negotiators respond to a variety of incident types ranging from suicidal individuals, to trapped criminals, to hostage situations. The subjects involved are often but not always in a state of crisis. When negotiators encounter these individuals, it is essential to understand the motivation that is driving the incident, or the behavior, in order to appropriately address it and work toward a resolution. This block of instruction dives into the concept of “Finding the Motivation”.

• CTS Instructor Course (2 Days)

• Saber Red (1 Day) – CANCELLED

• SWAT Medic – Con10gency (1 Day)
  • Upon completion of the eight-hour block of instruction, the students will be able to:
    • Identify the concepts of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and the Priority of Actions required prior to providing medical assessment and care.
    • List the steps of a Rapid Trauma (MARCH) Assessment.
    • Recognize and control bleeding from an extremity by properly applying a tourniquet.
    • Identify a transitional junction hemorrhage and list steps to control blood loss.
    • Identify the four (4) steps to maintain an airway.
    • Identify and treat a tension pneumothorax.
    • Define, identify, and list contributing factors to shock.
    • Discuss the unified response to a violent incident.
    • Discuss civil liability and protections when applying medical aid.

• SWAT K9 (3 Days)

  • Course topics:

    • Obedience

    • SWAT K-9 integration

    • Use of E-collar

    • Building search techniques

    • Deploying out of armor vehicles

    • Arrest procedures with K-9 and SWAT team

    • Decoy skills

• Basic Urban Tracking (3 Days)

  • The Basic Urban Tracking Course (BUTC) is designed to teach basic man tracking techniques in an urban environment.  This course consists of 24 hours of classroom and field instruction in terminology, dynamics of human movement (footprint & stride science), basic tracking techniques, individual lost spoor procedures, interpretation techniques & tracker deduction, the basics of identifying & reading spoor across common mediums, an introduction to backtracking operations, and the SAS tracking method.