CCW Training with Law Enforcement Instructors

For concealed carry permit holders, what are the advantages and disadvantages of taking firearms training from a law enforcement officer? And what should law enforcement officers know before training private citizens?

Jeff Mullenmeister of Minnesota Firearms Training Academy has been a law enforcement officer for 18 years and a firearms trainer for 15 of those years, so he brings a lot of experience to his discussion of these topics.

For Concealed Carry Holders

If you’re considering training with a law enforcement officer, see if he offers any training that addresses the concerns of private citizens. During their professional training, LEOs learn many things that are not applicable to civilians. Training around barricades is one example of a skill that is vital for LEOs but something that concealed-carry permit holders do not need to train during an initial class.

LEOs train to go toward the danger, in whatever form the danger may take. Private citizens want to move away from the danger, so the two training approaches are different. Shooting drills may or may not be the same, but you should train as closely as possible to how you want to react if you are faced with a worst-case scenario.

For Law Enforcement Officers

If you’re an LEO who is looking to get into private sector training, it’s the flip side of the coin. Understand and plan all training for private citizens to be applicable to their situation. Don’t waste their time, effort and money on training that will not be useful to them as defensive-minded civilians. Explosive breaching should not be on the agenda. Your training plans should reflect that citizens move away from danger, not toward it as LEOs do.

Online Training Resources

Remember that PDN is the number-one online source for handgun training videos designed specifically for private citizens.