Instructors
President and Director of Training
Kevin Cooper
Kevin is a retired Marine Corps veteran with a Force Reconnaissance (Special Operations) and Diplomatic Security background and is a nationally recognized Instructor in Firearms, Shoothouse Operations, Ballistic Shield, Edged Weapons Defense and Close Quarters Tactics. Kevin is also a graduate of the FBI’s Street Survival program and a certified FBI Tactical Instructor. He has served on the staff of some of the leading training organizations in the country and was also a Crisis Response Team Instructor with the Dept of States Anti Terrorism Assistance Program. Kevin also recently worked as an independent contractor overseas in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia and other classified locations throughout the world. He is also a Certified Law Enforcement Trainer (CLET) with the American Society for Law Enforcement Training (ASLET) and holds a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and is pursing his Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.
Director of Instructor Development and Deputy Director of Training
Ken Mickiewicz
Ken has worked in Law Enforcement on the East Coast and in Colorado for nearly 30 years. He’s currently assigned as his department’s Training Sergeant responsible for all agency training programs. He directly supervises and teaches in his department’s Firearms, Arrest Control, and Defensive Tactics training programs. In addition, Ken works as an Entry Sgt/ Team Leader on his department’s SWAT Team. Ken holds instructor credentials from Smith & Wesson, NRA, The Practical Shooting Academy, and the KOGA Institute, in addition to a graduate degree from Regis University. He’s taught Law Enforcement firearms, defensive tactics, and officer safety tactics for 20 years.
Medical Director
Dr. Lann
Dr. Lann is an Emergency Medicine Physician practicing in the Denver Metro Area with extensive experience dealing with the injuries and the mechanism of injury. He has significant Level I Trauma experience as well as ACLS and PALS. He is currently a member of the Denver DMAT and NMRT teams. He was a prior Naval Flight Officer from 1989-1997. He served on P3’s in the Asian and Central American AO’s during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Dr. Lann also has extensive instructor and lecturing experience in the medical and military arenas.
Director of EMS Programs and Training
Mike Eckstine
Mike Eckstine served with the United States Army Rangers, 2/75bn and has training in small unit tactics, squad tactics, small arms tactics, hand to hand combat, close quarter battle, air assault, small boat ops, jungle warfare, mountaineering, light vehicle operations and light infantry tactics. Airborne qualified, SCUBA certified and has worked as a military small weapons armorer. As a civilian Mike has been a nationally registered paramedic (NREMT-P) and has been both a primary and adjunct instructor for EMT-B/P courses for accredited college programs as well as a CLS instructor.
Deputy EMS Program Manager and Lead Instructor Tactical Medicine
Keith Butler
Keith Butler is a Ret. MAJ United States Army with over 28 years active duty military experience, including 5 years with United States Marine Corps. Keith is also a Nationally Certified Physician’s Assistant and Board Certified through the State of North Carolina with over 15 years of experience in his field. Keith has specialized in Emergency Medicine with extensive experience in tactical environments. Keith’s military career has been almost exclusively dedicated to the Special Operations community and their respective units. Keith is a former 18 Delta and has been cross trained in weapons, operations, and intelligence. Keith’s unique skill set include Special Forces, Ranger, Airborne, Combat Diver (SCUBA), Combat Dive Supervisor and Dive Medical Technician, HALO, Master Parachutist, and Aeromedical PA. Keith also has extensive and significant experience in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Lead Instructor
Don Farmer
Don retired from a large metropolitan department as a Sgt with 21 yrs of service. Don’s duties included Patrol Sgt, Narcotics and Vice commander, Bomb Squad Commander with 15 years experience in EOD and WMD’s. Don was also the Assistant Swat commander in charge of the entry element. Don has considerable experience in Executive Protection and worked details for President Reagan, former President Bush and the current President Bush, and Vice President Cheney. Don is Wyoming POST certified to instruct Explosive Breaching, CQB, Sub-machine gun, Officer Survival, Defensive Tactics (PPCT), Narcotics Investigation and Explosives Recognition. Don currently works as the Supervisor for the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigations Southeast Enforcement Team which is responsible for a four county area working primarily Drug and Violent Crime Investigations as well as officer involved shooting investigations.
Lead Instructor
Fred Meyer
Fred has been in law enforcement for twenty years, eleven of those as a Sergeant. He currently is a supervisor assigned to swing watch in the Patrol Division. Fred is also assigned as an Entry Team Sergeant with his department’s SWAT unit, having been affiliated with the team both as an operator and Sergeant for nearly seventeen years. He serves as an instructor on the SWAT team and is also certified by the National Tactical Officers Association as an instructor in Active Shooter Response. Fred has previous experience supervising his department’s gang unit, the Target Offense unit in investigations, and experience as a department arrest and control instructor both as an officer and Sergeant.
Lead Instructor
Chris Walsh
Chris is a Marine Corps Veteran and is a current Police Officer with 15 years of experience on a major metropolitan department. During his career he has worked undercover drug operations, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant and is currently a patrol Lieutenant. Chris has worked on protective details on several occasions for Vice President Chaney. Chris is the team leader for his agencies Tactical Response Team. Chris has been on his agencies SRT for 10 years, he is a POST certified Firearms instructor, Active Shooter, Sniper and SWAT Instructor.
Lead Instructor
Rob Whitfield
Rob is a veteran of the US Marine Corps and has served as a US Marine Scout Sniper Team Leader, on Recon & Surveillance Teams, and as an Instructor at the prestigious Scout Sniper School in Quantico VA. Rob is a NRA LE Firearms Instructor, and is also certified as a Tactical Driving Instructor, Shotgun Instructor, and a Close Quarters Battle Instructor. Rob is an expert in open sight and scoped rifle marksmanship, tactical operations, and team leader development. Rob recently served in Colombia as a Crisis Response Team Instructor for the Dept of State’s Anti Terrorism Assistance Team as the Lead Sniper instructor. Rob has also served overseas in high threat environments and has instructed the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, National and Foreign Special Forces, and hostage rescue teams worldwide. Rob has spent over a year and a half on the ground in Iraq as an independent contractor performing high threat protective and intelligence gathering operations.
Lead Instructor
Steve Wheeler
Steve has served as a Police Officer for more than twenty years. During his career Steve has worked as a Patrol Sergeant, Detective, and served in numerous billets on his department’s Tactical Team. Steve is currently the SWAT Team leader for his department. Steve is a certified Instructor in the following areas; NRA LE Rifle Instructor, Officer Survival, PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor, Sniper Instructor, Active Shooter and a Firearms Instructor. Steve has been recognized as the Police Officer of the Year for his county and city and was named to the “Governors Top Ten” in combat pistol competition. Steve is also a certified Psychological Profiler and a graduate of the United States Secret Service Executive Protection class and has worked and assisted in protective details for President George Bush Sr., President George W. Bush, and Vice President Dick Cheney. Steve recently returned from Iraq where he was s member of the Counter Terrorism Special Operations Force (CTSOF) where he trained Iraqi SWAT and Emergency Response Unit personnel. Steve is currently deployed to Iraq as an LE Representative with the 82nd Airborne using his experience to capture Insurgents.
Adjunct Instructors
Wes Gasner
Wes has over 15 year’s law enforcement experience and his duties have included Narcotics, Patrol Sgt and over 10 years as a firearm instructor. Additionally Wes has over 12 years SWAT experience and was also the Assistant Swat commander in charge of the entry element. Wes has considerable experience in Executive Protection and worked details for former President Bush and the current President Bush, and Vice President Cheney. Wes has been an instructor for noise flash diversionary devices, chemical munitions, Patrol Rifle, Tactical handgun, SWAT and shotgun and is alsoa certified Explosive Entry Technician. He has worked security details for Federal FEMA sites that included New Orleans, LA. Wes has also worked as an Independent Contractor in Afghanistan in support of the war on terror
Michael J. Downey II
Mike is a USAF Security Forces member and currently assigned to the Pentagon in WashingtonD.C. He serves as the Personal Security Officer for a Senior Military Official. In his 16 years of experience he has performed protective service missions, law enforcement duties, flight line security, combat arms training and has served as an emergency services team member. He was the Chief of the Firearms and Tactics Unit for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). Mike is a certified instructor in pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, submachine gun, foreign military weapons, defensive tactics, antiterrorism driving, use of force, baton, and chemical munitions. He has trained over 100,000 military and international students, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers throughout the world.
Alden Hill
Alden is a twenty-year veteran of a busy northern Colorado police department. He has been on the S.W.A.T. team since 1989 and is a senior operator on the entry team. Alden is a certified OC/Specialty Impact Munitions/Distraction Device/Chemical Munitions instructor and Pepperball instructor and is also a Colorado P.O.S.T. certified officer safety instructor and has been since 1989. Alden has trained with numerous S.W.A.T. teams around the country and has helped provide Active Shooter training to his department and other agencies around the country. He has trained extensively with HK weapons systems and is a veteran of numerous S.W.A.T. activations over the years, ranging form hostage incidents, barricaded suspects and countless high risk warrant services. Alden has also spent time on hi agencies Gang Unit and has received the police department’s Medal of Valor on two occasions. Alden is a graduate of Colorado State University with a degree n Business Administration.
Geoff Schenher
Geoff is a veteran of the US Marine Corps having served as a Scout Sniper Team Leader, Chief Scout Sniper, Sniper Platoon Sergeant, and as the Chief Instructor of the US Marine Corps Scout Sniper School in Quantico, VA. Geoff specialized in maritime and land warfare sniper, reconnaissance and surveillance operations throughout his Marine Corps career. While serving as the Chief Instructor of the USMC Scout Sniper School, Geoff was awarded the Weapons Training Battalion Instructor of the Year Award for 2003. Geoff has conducted counter surveillance operations and performed active vulnerability assessments for high risk government facilities as a civilian contractor. Geoff was the Shift Leader for a Site Survey Team providing vulnerability assessments for Tier one Ministers throughout Iraq. Recently, Geoff operated as the Agent In Charge and Shift Leader for Personal Security Details in combat environments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.
James Kouns
James is a ten year Fire and EMS veteran and is currently employed with a major metropolitan Fire Department in Texas as the Special Operations Duty Paramedic. James’ duties include city wide response with all specialty teams and serves as the lead tactical paramedic for the Police Department’s SWAT team. James is a certified EMS instructor, PHTLS Instructor, firefighter, paramedic, hazardous materials technician, weapons of mass destruction response, weapons of mass destruction medical specialist, WMD - Live Agent Technician (Aniston, AL)COBRA Class, dive/swift water rescue, tactical paramedic / instructor, DHS Instructor- Response to Terrorist Bombings. Additionally James is certified in ACLS, BCLS, and PEPP.
Brad Johnson
Brad is a current police officer with eighteen years experience in a major metropolitan police department. Brad is currently a SWAT Team Leader on his agencies full time SWAT Team. Brad is responsible for twenty-two full time SWAT Operators and eight K9 Handlers. Brad has participated in numerous SWAT call-outs and the execution of High Risk Warrant services. Brad is one of seven Explosive Entry Technicians on his team and in 2005 alone his team responded to over 350 SWAT callouts. Brad has taught numerous classes at his agencies academy related to high risk operations and active shooter. Brad holds a BS degree in Business and Corporate Recreation.
John Bobich
John is a dedicated professional who has served as a certified military instructor both formally and informally throughout a twenty-one year military career. John has served as an instructor/writer in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Department at Redstone Arsenal, AL, Researched and developed POI’s, Lesson Plans, Examinations, and Instructor Guides for the EOD Refresher Course and the FBI Hazardous Devices School. John coordinated the design of practical exercise sites to include tunnel systems, and small villages constructed to evaluate the student’s ability to circumvent and/or defeat land mines and booby traps. Also of note is that John was the as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the FBI Hazardous Devices School where he was responsible for curriculum updates, development, and validation. Additionally as the Senior Enlisted Soldier he developed, validated, and administered all examinations at the completion of each block of instruction. While at Redstone John was the senior military instructor in the WMD, Demolition, Tools and Equipment, X-Ray, Booby-Trap House, Military Munitions, Home-made Explosives, Robotics and Refresher Courses. John has trained numerous U.S. and foreign military personnel, civilian organizations, Federal, Local Law enforcement, other Government Agencies in the construction, rendering safe, and disposal of improvised explosives devices and the decontamination of personnel and equipment exposed to chemical and nuclear weapons. John was awarded the Bronze Star and Naval Unit Commendation for actions during Operation Phantom Fury, Fallujah, Iraq.
Barry Elrod
Barry has served over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps in Force Reconnaissance/MARSOC . During his tenure he has served the Corps in several capacities as both a talented instructor and operator. Barry completed two combat tours in support of Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom. In addition to his service, Barry was trained as a Breaching Instructor at the Breaching Instructor School in Quantico and has been Breacher certified three times and currently is the Lead Breaching Instructor the Marine Special Operations Advisory Group (MSOAG). As the SNCOIC for the MSOAG Training cell and the Chief Instructor for Training Pipeline, Barry posses both the ability to teach with expertise and the knowledge base in his Cadre leadership role. Barry has also served as a Force recon Team Leader and Platoon Sergeant and has graduated several classified classes as well as the AT Solutions IED Defeat and IED Electronics programs.
