2020 Year in Review

We started off with a free 2-day Handgun & Carbine Operator course hosted by Cookeville P.D. February 10-11.  Torrential rains flooded the host range and we were fortunate to be able to move to the Putnam Co. S.O. range for the course.  18 officers from 14 agencies attended the course and we were spent 16 hours tuning up skills and introducing many to the SPS/HGTG Handgun and Fighting Rifle programs.

The following week, Instructor Dave S. and I traveled to Chattanooga, TN for a Close Team Support Course conducted for Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office SWAT.  This was the second installment of this course and completed the CTS program for the entire HCSO SWAT team.

The last week of February, we kicked off a custom training event for the Nolensville, TN Police Department.  We rotated all NPD patrol personnel through an 8-hour training event building tactical and shooting skills.  This was the first of three sessions that we customized for the NPD.

And then it happened… As the CV-19 pandemic kicked into high gear, we saw a number of our host agencies and participant agencies appropriately cutting training events and attendance to concentrate on operations.  We took advantage of the shutdown for family time, projects and updates to training programs, materials and equipment.   By mid Summer we were cautiously gearing up to begin planning training for the Fall.  In late August and Early September, we completed the 3-day custom Handgun & Carbine courses with Nolensville P.D.

The last week of September began an ambitious project in Utah with host agencies Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake and West Jordan, UT Police Department.  We conducted 2 back-to-back Level I Sniper courses.  We reduced class sizes due to the pandemic and consequently were able to accommodate more participants overall for this program.  23 officers from 10 teams representing 13 agencies from Utah and Idaho attended the course.  This included:

  • Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake
  • West Jordan Police Department
  • Utah Highway Patrol C.E.R.T.
  • Salt Lake City Police Department
  • Cache County Sheriff’s Offce
  • Clearfield Police Department (North Davis SWAT)
  • Layton Police Department (North Davis SWAT)
  • West Valley Police Department
  • South Salt Lake Police Department (UPD SWAT)
  • Bonneville County, Idaho Sheriff’s Office
  • Orem Police Department
  • Utah Department of Corrections

Support from the host agencies was fantastic and we conducted training in three counties during the two-week training mission.  We look forward to going back to Utah to work with these dedicated professionals.

After one week back at home, do the laundry and load the truck it was off to Springfield, TN where we did another Level I Sniper Course with host agency Robertson County Sheriff’s Office.  A full class of 12 officers from 6 Tennessee and South Carolina agencies enjoyed a beautiful but warm October week for training.

  • Robertson County Sheriff’s Office
  • Perry County Sheriff’s Office
  • Cleveland Police Department
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office
  • Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
  • Beaufort County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office

We continued the momentum moving into November with a Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor course in Covington, TN hosted by Tipton County Sheriff’s Office.  15 officers from 6 agencies across Tennessee completed the course.  Agencies included:

  • Tipton County Sheriff’s Office
  • Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
  • Robertson County Sheriff’s Office
  • Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
  • Columbia Police Department
  • Lebanon Police Department

Included in the class was SGT Andrew Hawkins, Lebanon PD and High Ground Training Group instructor.

With a bit of a break for Thanksgiving, we finished the year in Livingston, TN with a Law Enforcement Rifle Instructor course co-hosted by Livingston Police Department and Overton County Sheriff’s Office.  While this one was a small class, Livingston PD’s training facility that included housing accommodations made the course possible.  Seven officers from five agencies participated.  Agencies included:

  • Overton County Sheriff’s Office
  • Livingston Police Department
  • Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
  • Nolensville Police Department
  • Clay County Sheriffls Office

2020 has been a tough year on everyone, but especially those on the front lines.  Our families have suffered losses to the pandemic and there has been blood left on the field.  We are happy to have marked it by providing what we believe to be some of the most solid, well researched and supported training available today.  We are one of many and we acknowledge that there are many paths to the of any mountain.  As a GSA Defense Contractor, the gravity of what we teach is not lost on us.  Everyday our alumni go into harms way and do the work that others cannot comprehend.

Thank you to all who have trusted us with your training dollars and personnel to provide training this year.  As we enter our 20th year of professional training in 2021, we look forward to continuing to bring the highest quality of training possible to you.

Thanks to All and Stay Safe,

Denny