The TTPOA Podcast

Episode: Day 2, 2025 TTPOA SWAT Competition – "The Greatest Show in SWAT"
Date: October 11, 2025
Host: TTPOA Host (Brandon)
Guests: John Agnew (Outgoing Competition Coordinator), Sean (Incoming Coordinator/Region 6 Director), Jeff (Competition Committee Member), occasional contributions from others

Overview

This episode provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 TTPOA SWAT Competition. Host Brandon and his guests pull back the curtain on organizing one of the most respected law enforcement competitions in Texas, featuring candid discussions about the evolution of the event, leadership transitions, event design philosophy, technological advancements, lessons learned, and the importance of community and mentorship within the SWAT and law enforcement community.

The atmosphere is light, often humorous, but grounded in the heartfelt mission of improving officers’ skills and experiences, as well as honoring tradition and innovation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet the Organizers: Roles and Backgrounds

[00:14–07:25]

• John Agnew: Outgoing Competition Coordinator, handed role to committee after running solo for years. Started with TTPOA competitions as a sniper competitor in 2000.

  • “I'm wealthy with T shirts, let me tell you. Red ones. Bags and bags. ...That’s how I get paid.” [01:21]
  • Oversaw growth from 8 to 10 events, expanded duration, and helped establish the current committee model.

• Jeff: Veteran competitor (15+ years), now on the committee, transitioning into leading next year’s sniper comp.

• Sean: Regional Director for Region 6, steps into competition coordinator role, manages both SWAT and sniper sides with new team approach.

Quote:
“So there’s three of us that are replacing one John Agnew.” — Sean [10:50]

2. How the SWAT Competition Is Built

[07:25–17:43]

• Organizers “pull back the curtain” on planning:
  • Planning starts nearly a year out; initial meetings post-event and major collaboration begins after the winter board (February).
  • Events are designed to mimic real-world tactical challenges, with the brief only released the night before to maintain realism and adaptability.
  • Rotating locations and host agencies keep the competition fresh and bring in new ideas, with TTPOA assisting in site improvements if needed.

Quote:
“We try to make it like a call out. ...If it doesn’t make sense when you’re running and gunning it, then we change it.” — John [12:08]

3. Logistics, Volunteerism & Unique Challenges

[11:24–16:23]

• No one gets paid; all volunteers, often taking vacation days.
• Each year involves new venues, departments, assets, and event tweaks, making plug-and-play templates limited.
• Realism, team effort, and adaptability trump profit.

Quote:
“We don’t make money on the competition. ...We just want money in the bank. So we got to take care of our vendors because they take care of us.” — John [01:34]

4. Lessons Learned & Problem Solving

[18:24–23:11]

• Organizers recount fixing event scoring problems on the fly — often meeting at dawn and re-evaluating events just hours before teams run.
• Transparency and “doing the right thing” even after appeal windows close.
• Constant improvement: switching from paper to steel targets for clarity, feedback, and fairness.

Quotes:
“Everything looks great at face value ...What people don’t see is the behind-the-scenes of like, how the hell did that just happen? And it’s usually a scoring issue.” — John [18:27]
“We always try to do the right thing in the spirit of the competition.” — John [20:22]

5. Evolution of the Sniper Role

[23:42–26:49]

• The role of snipers in team events has grown, with feedback sometimes split between wanting more or less sniper action.
• Incorporation of new gear (e.g., tripods) and balancing speed versus setup times.
• The sniper challenge event continues to evolve as a centerpiece of the competition calendar.

Quote:
“Snipers are typically your first in, last out. ...They need to have their shit together when they go out there.” — John [24:16]

6. Embracing Technology: Live Scoring

[27:04–32:59]

• Real-time, web-based scoring highly praised by competitors, with kudos to the behind-the-scenes team for massive improvements.
• The stress and pain of waiting on Excel spreadsheets is a thing of the past.

Memorable Quotes:
“That is the best thing. ...We’re sitting there now, we know — all right, okay, we’re still in fourth place.” — Brandon [27:04]
“I’m a believer. I’ll tell you. I’m a believer.” — John [32:52]

7. Vision for the Future: 2026 and Beyond

[33:20–45:15]

• The new committee is already collecting feedback from competitors to inform next year’s changes.
• Ongoing debate: unlimited vs. controlled ammo, realism vs. gamification, and balancing hard skills with logistical realities.
• “The whole competition is a living competition. It’s forever going to change.” — Sean [36:13]

Quote:
“The other thing is real life stuff. ...I would love to see the closest we can get to real life, but you start learning you just can’t.” — Jeff [36:45]

8. Safety: The Paramount Concern

[40:22–44:18]

• Organizers share close calls and nearly catastrophic incidents that shaped rigorous safety protocols.
• Balancing realism and risk is non-negotiable.

Quote:
“We’ve seen some scary things happen. ...If I get someone killed while I’m the director of this, I don’t know, I’m a failure.” — John [41:31]

9. Community, Tradition, and Passing the Torch

[45:27–51:11]

• Recognition of predecessors and the obligation to improve, not just maintain, the competition.
• Deep respect for founding organizers like Buck and ongoing involvement of previous leaders.

10. The Kelly Perkle Sniper Challenge: A Living Legacy

[51:12–57:10]

• The sniper challenge renamed to honor Kelly Perkle, a passionate competitor and influential TTPOA member who left a lasting impact before his passing.
• “It was really cool to be a part of that... that was one of his biggest thank yous, biggest achievements.” — Sean [52:04–52:24]
• Lubbock’s transformation into a championship-caliber team under Kelly’s leadership.

11. Mentorship, Advice, and Building the Next Generation

[60:11–66:35]

• Advice for new teams: personal dedication, train beyond department days, get your heart rate up, and shoot small targets.
• Challenge to veteran teams to mentor new competitors.
• Humility is key: “I love the teams that are in last place and stay for the awards. ...They got so much pride and they’re humble.” — John [65:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John: “I am wealthy with T shirts, let me tell you. Red ones. ...That’s how I get paid.” [01:21]
• Sean: “So there’s three of us that are replacing one John Agnew.” [10:50]
• Brandon: “I wish you could have heard the conversation leading up...” [00:59] (Sets the comic, fraternal tone)
• Jeff: “I just want to go run it...I miss it.” [04:48]
• John: “We try to make it like a call out...build the event around real world ideology.” [12:08]
• Sean: “If your sniper’s not squared away, your team’s not doing well.” [23:42]
• Brandon: “That is the best thing. ...We’re sitting there now, we know — all right, okay, we’re still in fourth place.” [27:04]
• John: “We want these guys to come and compete. ...We don’t want to design anything where anyone goes back with major injuries because their command staff is not going to send them to compete.” [42:51]
• John: “I love the teams that are in last place and stay for the awards. ...They got so much pride and they’re humble...” [65:06]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening & Introduction: [00:00–03:00]
• Committee/Organizer Roles & Origins: [03:00–07:25]
• Planning & Event Design: [07:25–11:22]
• Volunteerism & Logistical Challenges: [11:22–16:23]
• Problem Solving & Lessons Learned: [18:24–23:11]
• Evolution of the Sniper Role: [23:42–26:49]
• Live Scoring & Technology: [27:04–32:59]
• Vision & Next Steps (2026+): [33:20–45:15]
• Safety, Realism, & Competition Philosophy: [40:22–44:18]
• TTPOA Culture & Passing the Torch: [45:27–51:11]
• The Kelly Perkle Sniper Challenge: [51:12–57:10]
• Mentorship/Advice to Teams: [60:11–66:35]
• Closing Banter: [66:42–end]

Final Notes

Throughout the episode, the hosts emphasize a culture of camaraderie, humility, and relentless improvement. They invite competitors to provide feedback, veterans to mentor newcomers, and everyone to embrace both challenge and change. The legacy of TTPOA’s competition is both tradition-bound and forward-thinking, striving always to be, in their own words, “the greatest show in SWAT.”

“You just need a fresh look on things or some new energy, because this shit gets... you’re like, okay, how much more I can do this again? And that’s not what you want, especially is for something that you volunteer and you’re serving others, you’re serving this. It’s all about the association. It’s all about the members and stuff.” — Brandon [45:51]

Train hard. See you at the competition!