2021 will mark our 20th Anniversary of providing training for snipers and armed professionals. I taught my first sniper course to my then agency in 2002 and we were on our way. We began providing training in Kentucky in the mid 1990’s as Defensive Empowerment Systems and our earliest sniper courses were done under that company flag. We began a business migration in 2005 that became Sniper Pro Shop. In 2010 we established the High Ground Training Group working with select members of our Alumni over the years.
2021 marks our 20th year for sniper training and we hope to make it a banner year for training for snipers and armed professionals. We are currently accepting requests for hosting and custom Special Operations Sustainment Training courses for 2021 now. The below video is from our new Vimeo channel. It is currently on our social media pages and we hope to be producing more videos soon.
Daniel receives a Sniper Pro Shop Sniper Weapon Sling System and Tripod Belt Sling Stabilizer valued at $70.00! Thanks for submitting your photos! The picture was a great mix of kit, background and very cool abstract focus creating immense depth and feel (artsy review courtesy of SPS🧐)
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE! ‘MERICA!
Full size version of the photo below for your viewing pleasure!
We are tentatively scheduling training for Fall 2020. Classes will resume in late August and new classes and rescheduled classes are being set up for September – November.
It does appear that procedural shifts will be necessary in training including reductions in class sizes, social distancing and use of PPE by staff and students. As new best practices are identified and put in place, we will implement as necessary to ensure health and safety of clients while maintaining the level of training quality that you have come to expect from us. Please monitor this website as well as our company social media for information.
2019 was a busy year with 12 classes presented during the year along with a presentation at the IALEFI Conference. We introduced three new courses, Rangemaster, Close Team Support for SWAT and SWAT Operator I and presented classes in Tennessee, Alaska, Florida, Utah and Colorado. Our staff worked diligently to prepare, present and support our client agencies and students and we look forward to an even busier 2020.
Level I Sniper, Tullahoma, TN hosted by Tennessee Highway Patrol SRT. 11-15 February 2019
The week of 15 April we traveled to Chattanooga to conduct the brand new CLOSE TEAM SUPPORT COURSE for Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office SWAT. The course went well and we have others planned for the future. Thanks to Sr. Instructor Dave S. for his assistance with that course.Close Team Support Class #1
CTS Live-Fire Assault Drills
Live-Fire Phalanx Drill
The week of 22 April it was off to Juneau, AK where I had the privilege of providing the Level II Advanced Sniper Course to Juneau PD SWAT Snipers. The course was extended to meet some of their training requests and needs and we had a great time working in the Last Frontier. And of course I got the opportunity to enjoy some of the beautiful Alaskan wilderness as well as see some of the sites. Many thanks to the JPD for their hospitality and hard work to make this course happen. A special thanks also to the members of the JPD and the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau who assisted us with logistics and mission support.
Juneau, AK PD SWAT Snipers with Instructor Denny Elliott, Live-Fire Stalk Exercise
The week of 6 May was the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) Annual Training Conference in West Palm Beach, FL. “Why Do They Shoot Like That? – Weapon Ergonomics & Human Biomechanics Effects on Accuracy” was well attended and received great reviews. Thanks to IALEFI for the opportunity.
Denny Elliott instructing at IALEFI ATC in West Palm Beach, FL
Level II Advanced Sniper, Tullahoma, TN hosted by Murfreesboro PD. 13 snipers from throughout Tennessee and North Carolina participated in what turned out to be a hot and grueling week. Instructors Denny Elliott and Dave S.
Level I Sniper, Spencer, TN at Dead Zero Shooting Park, hosted by Sequatchie Co SO. Instructors Denny Elliott and Dave Keenom.
Our first LE Rangemaster course was hosted in Murfreesboro by Murfreesboro PD 26-30 August 2019. Instructor Denny Elliott
Level IV Sniper -Mixed Terrain Target Interdiction, Tullahoma, TN hosted by Lebanon PD, 15-20 September 2019, Instructors Denny Elliott, Andrew Hawkins and Jeff Scott
Level III Sniper – Leadership, Training and Utilization of LE Snipers, Cookeville, TN, Hosted by Cookeville PD. Instructor Denny Elliott
HGTG conducted its first SWAT Operator I course in Lebanon, TN in cooperation with LPD SWAT. The course was held 6-11 October and was attended by 17 officers from across Tennessee. HGTG Instructors Denny Elliott, Andrew Hawkins and Jeff Scott with assistance by LPD SWAT cadre.
Level III Sniper – Leadership, Training and Utilization of LE Snipers, Salt Lake City, UT, Hosted by Unified PD of Greater Salt Lake, Instructor Denny Elliott
Sniper Sustainment Training, Larimer Co Regional SWAT Snipers, Fort Carson U.S. Army Installation, Colorado Springs, CO. Instructor Denny Elliott
LE Firearms Instructor, Martin, TN Hosted by Martin PD. 4 – 8 November. Instructor Denny Elliott
Thanks to our Host Agencies for 2019
Tennessee Highway Patrol
Hamilton Co SO
Juneau PD, Alaska
Murfreesboro PD
Seqatchie Co SO
Lebanon PD
Cookeville PD
Unified PD of Greater Salt Lake, Utah
Larimer CO SO, Colorado
Martin PD
Congratulations to HGTG Staff members for completing a number of courses this year:
SPS CEO Denny Elliott will be presenting at the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) Annual Training Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, 5 – 10 May 2019. Denny will be teaching a 4-hour live-fire workshops on Thursday, 9 May. The workshop, “Why Do They Shoot Like That?” – The Effect of Human Biomechanics and Weapon Ergonomics on Accuracy will be taught twice on that date starting at 0800 hours and again at 1330 hours. We invite you to join us for the IALEFI ATC. For more information, visit www.ialefi.com.
SPS Table at the TLETOA Conference in Gatlinburg Nov. 2018
Thanks to all who stopped by the SPS/HGTG table at the TLETOA Conference in Gatlinburg, TN. It was great seeing everyone as I begin this transition from being a full-time LEO to a service provider for the law enforcement and tactical community.
NOT JUST FOR SNIPERS!
SPS has a full course catalog that serves the SWAT Sniper Community, but we also provide a training for instructors as well as a series of tactical courses for both uniform and SWAT personnel. Here are our available courses:
Designated Marksman Series – One of the first in the nation and possibly the most comprehensive in the country.
Law Enforcement Designated Marksman (LEDM)
Law Enforcement Designated Marksman Train-the-Trainer (LEDMT3)
Firearms and Instructor Development Series
Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor
Law Enforcement Rifle Instructor
Law Enforcement Range Master
Law Enforcement Instructor Development
Tactical Series
Close Team Support
Tactical Handgun Operator (Phase I and II)
Tactical Rifle Operator (Phase I and II)
SPS/HGTG will also work with client agencies to provide specialized training developed to fill the tactical needs of the agency. We are actively seeking hosting agencies for training in 2019. Contact us for course catalogs and hosting packets. Hosting agencies receive tuition free positions in the hosted course.
The training programs currently taught by SPS/HGTG were originally conceived and written with a plan of offering professional and affordable training to LEO’s. This concept became reality and for the last 18 years, we have trained snipers, operators and instructors across the U.S. and Canada.
While the training classes began as extensions of my employing agency and team, demand made it necessary to build a dedicated training base of operations. As such in 2005, High Ground Training Group was formed as a subsidiary of SPS and became the training wing of our company. The group has subsequently matured and grown in recognition and we have trained hundreds of snipers since that time. During all of these years, we have maintained full-time positions in our respective law enforcement agencies. With that said, a significant change is imminent. After a career spanning over 29 years, I am retiring from my agency in December of 2018. At that time, SPS/HGTG will begin operations as a full-time company.
Moving Onward and Outward
The transition to operating on a full-time basis has already begun and I have been actively working to expand the reach of SPS by becoming more mobile in order to bring our training directly to other regions of Tennessee as well as the rest of the country. Plans are currently in the scheduling phase for upcoming courses in North and South Carolina. In addition, we already have a sniper class scheduled to take place in Juneau, Alaska in April 2019. We are presently seeking hosting agencies to bring our courses nationwide.
VTS Tullahoma and Tennessee Army National Guard
Since 2010, we have taught our Level I, II and IV sniper courses at the Tennessee Army National Guard Volunteer Training Site in Tullahoma, TN and consider our company fortunate to be a regular and preferred training provider at the site. During our relationship with VTS throughout the years, we have also been uniquely positioned to witness the growth of the VTS. While we hope to continue to train at VTS well into the foreseeable future, it has become clear to us that the VTS Tullahoma is busier than ever and it has become more difficult for them to provide us the facilities on an as-needed basis. Due to that fact, you should expect that fewer classes may be being held at VTS, especially courses such as Level I Sniper since that particular program can be satisfactorily accomplished without the need for extensive range facilities. For that reason, we have a hosting agency packet available which outlines the necessary facility requirements for each of our classes and greatly encourage your agency to host future courses of interest or need. As you know, one of the primary benefits of hosting our classes is the tuition free enrollment of your personnel in the hosted course for two personnel. Please contact me and I will provide you with a hosting packet for your review, consideration, and completion.
Law Enforcement Designated Marksman (LEDM)
Our latest professional and tactical achievement as well as challenge has been the implementation of a LEDM training program for shooters and trainers to establish programs at the agency level. We have based our program on the highly effective military Designated Marksman program while emphasizing the rapid response and close range encounters that LE patrol personnel may face. LEDM’s are not snipers but are trained to move rapidly to violent incidents and provide immediate overwatch and target interdiction with improved weapon systems and training. The program includes a 32-hour basic LEDM class and a 24-hour Train-the-Trainer component. We are also available to assist in weapon system and equipment consultation for anyone exploring the option.
We cannot overemphasize the significance and what SPS/SGTG feels is the cultural timeliness and overall value this program represents for your agency, its officers and the community.
We are seeking hosting agencies that wish to explore implementation of the program. Please contact me and I will provide you with a hosting packet for your review, consideration and completion.
Not Just for Snipers Anymore
While we are known as Sniper Pro Shop (SPS) and sniper training has been and will continue to be our cornerstone, the experience and expertise of members of the HGTG team runs the gamut of law enforcement knowledge and assignments and each brings a vast amount ability to the training table. One of our earliest instructor classes was our Law Enforcement Rifle Instructor course that I have taught since the early 2000’s. That course has grown with the use of the AR-15 as a law enforcement rifle and is designed to train the LE firearms instructor to effectively teach the LE rifle program from basic to advanced users.
In 2017, after several years of development, we introduced the Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor course to Tennessee officers. Based on a career as a firearms instructor that started in 1992, I approached this course as a means to build teaching skills in firearms instructors and develop their ability to diagnose shooter’s problems.
In 2019, we will introduce the LE Rangemaster course as multi-day firearms training and range facility management course.
I have taught Law Enforcement Instructor Development for my agency for over six years. Using that course as a basis, we are developing a contemporary LEID course to prepare instructors for the training mission. This will be designed primarily as a Tennessee instructor development course, but we will work with agencies in other states to see if our LEID course will meet their needs.
The SPS/HGTG law enforcement course catalog currently includes:
Sniper – Level I, Level II, Level III and Level IV
Law Enforcement Designated Marksman – Basic and Train-the-Trainer
Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor
Law Enforcement Rifle Instructor
Law Enforcement Rangemaster
Law Enforcement Instructor Development
(See the Training Page of the website for other training courses)
Military Training and Training for Federal Agencies
SPS/HGTG became a GSA training provider for Homeland Security in 2016 and is able to provide tactical training for U.S. agencies and military. We have provided basic sniper training to members of the 278th ACR of the Tennessee Army National Guard, Designated Marksman training to members of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and Federal Agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
Consulting Services
SPS will offer consultation services for law enforcement agencies seeking to improve efficiency in their training programs. These services will include:
Review and consultation of Departmental In Service Training
Review of Firearms Training Programs
Range management
Range construction consultation and oversight
P.O.S.T. file consultation
Post-Incident consultation
Policy consultation
Litigation consultation
Thank you
Finally, a special debt of gratitude goes out to the snipers, operators, instructors and their agencies that have supported us and attended our training throughout the years. Many of these alumni have become some of our best friends and a select few of those have gone on to become members of the High Ground Training Group. Our organization is truly built from within by the fiber of the men and women that we have trained. It has been and it continues to be an honor to serve you.
High Ground Training Group
Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor (LEFI)Class #2 – 2018
15 Officers representing nine agencies successfully completed the HGTG LEFI course at the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Range in Franklin, TN, 7 – 11 May 2018.
Law Enforcement Designated Marksman (LEDM) Class #2 -2018
Six officers from four agencies recently completed the LEDM Course in Cookeville, TN, 15 – 18 May 2018. The course was hosted by the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Officer’s Association.
SPS / HGTG is actively seeking agencies for hosting the above courses along with our other courses. We are planning the 2019 calendar now.
In September of 2017 we lost a brother and HGTG alumni. CST Mark Neville was traveling with his wife and young sons when a vehicle crossed the center line striking his truck. Mark died at the scene and his wife and kids were injured. Mark proudly served with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a member of an Emergency Response Team in British Columbia.
Over $100,000 was raised for Mark’s family through gofundme.com by Mark’s friends and colleagues.
Rest Easy Brother.
https://www.gofundme.com/cst-mark-neville
Providing Training and Support for Professional Operators since 2002
2021 will mark our 20th Anniversary of providing training for snipers and armed professionals. I taught my first sniper course to my then agency in 2002 and we were on our way. We began providing training in Kentucky in the mid 1990’s as Defensive Empowerment Systems and our earliest sniper courses were done under that company flag. We began a business migration in 2005 that became Sniper Pro Shop. In 2010 we established the High Ground Training Group working with select members of our Alumni over the years.
Close Team Support Class #1 
High Ground Training Group
