TTPOA Podcast: Train-Up Series – Teaching In-Service Practical Shooting to Active/Veteran Officers
Date: November 3, 2025
Host(s): Brian & Chansey (SWAT Team Leaders, Texas)
Setting: Backyard, raining (adds to relaxed, candid campfire-style discussion)
Episode Focus: Approaching in-service firearms and practical shooting training for experienced officers; overcoming cultural and pedagogical barriers.
Overview of Main Theme
This episode (Part Two of the Train-Up Series) dives into the challenges and best practices for teaching practical and performance-based shooting to active, veteran, and experienced officers—moving beyond traditional, static qualification methods. The hosts emphasize changing the training environment, addressing ingrained habits, fostering buy-in, and shifting range culture away from outdated practices to ones that truly prepare officers for real-life encounters.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Transitioning Experienced Officers to Practical Training
- In-service training for non-recruits (officers with years of experience) brings unique challenges.
- Need to reset expectations and foster an environment where failure is not punished but used as an opportunity to learn.
- “We’re not going to sit here and judge you…as long as you know why it happened.” (Brian, 01:44)
Big Insight: Focus on troubleshooting and personal progress rather than judgment or embarrassment.
2. Overcoming Skepticism from Veteran Officers
- Longer-serving officers ("crusty ass cops") often resist change: “It’s worked for 20 years. Why do I want to change it now?” (Brian, 02:51)
- The instructor’s ‘people skills’ become crucial in building trust and getting buy-in.
- Key is to clarify that pushing limits and occasional failure are expected and supported.
Notable Quote:
“They’ve never been given permission to push themselves or fail…” (Unidentified Instructor, 03:19)
3. Changing the Culture of the Range
- Previous range instruction often discouraged experimentation and was seen as punitive.
- Instructors must lead by example, demonstrate, and own mistakes.
- “If you get up there and go to demo and screw it up…the answer is don't do that.” (Brian, 05:06)
- Credibility is everything—if instructors lose it, buy-in collapses.
4. Foundations through Inductive Learning
- Demonstrations should be paced for learning, not just showing off.
- Tangible results grow buy-in: “They see that they can do it…now let’s mimic that.” (Brian, 06:15)
- Breaking ingrained habits (e.g., revolver grip with auto pistols) is a process, not an event.
5. Creating a Positive Training Environment
- Atmosphere should encourage returning officers to want to get better, not just “check the box.”
- “Changing the atmosphere and making it to where they want to get better, they want to come down and train more.” (Unidentified Instructor, 07:36)
- Training blocks are structured for all experience levels, and command staff support is crucial.
6. Integrating Practical Performance Drills
- Move away from rote line firing and range theatrics (“stepping off the X,” “scan after every string”).
- These theatrics often sap valuable brainpower and detract from meaningful skills.
- “We really get away from the stuff that doesn't matter. That's taking brainpower away from students.” (Unidentified Instructor, 10:22)
7. Realism vs. Range Safety Constraints
- Stress the need for training closer to real engagements, acknowledging a difference between “range safety” and “real life safety.”
- “There’s a huge difference between range safety and real life safety. For sure.” (Brian, 13:36)
- Instructors must set up scenarios with both accountability and realistic movement, under proper supervision.
8. Role of Customer Service in Firearms Instruction
- Range instructors’ primary job is to help officers, not gatekeep or judge:
- “If you’re in the business of teaching firearms…your real job is customer service. So help them.” (Brian, 14:44)
- Those unwilling to do the work or engage students should move elsewhere.
9. Breaking Down Speed vs. Accuracy Myths
- Officers often believe they must choose between speed and accuracy, but both can be developed together.
- “People think that speed and accuracy are on total opposite ends of the spectrum…they can’t be together. Well, what do you think about somebody…who can jerk a pistol and shoot a bill drill…in under 2 seconds?” (Brian, 19:34)
10. Critiquing Outdated Training Scripts & Drill Sheets
- Old “drill sheet” mentality is seen as lazy; instruction should be fluid and responsive.
- “There’s no particular order…that’s just reading a script. It’s not teaching to the class.” (Unidentified Instructor, 21:41)
- Justifying drills based on class needs is more important than ticking boxes.
11. Philosophy on Shot Timers and Hit Factor
- Timers are tools—not crutches—to gather performance metrics and set personal benchmarks.
- “If all you do is chase what that thing tells you, then you’re throwing a lot of stuff out.” (Brian, 22:43)
- Emphasis on “hit factor” (balance between speed and accuracy) rather than raw speed alone.
- “You got middle of the road, high hit factor…super slow but low hit factor. Put the three on the table…” (Brian, 25:01)
- Students encouraged to chase their own progression, not just compete.
12. Encouraging a Growth Mindset & Engagement
- The ultimate goal: officers leave training more motivated, skilled, and open to improvement—breaking the cycle of routine, checkbox range time.
- “I love to see the light bulb come on. And just the joy of shooting…” (Chansey, 15:53)
- We want officers leaving the range inspired to train on their own and continue their journey.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Range Culture:
“The welcoming side of it…instead of blowing them off because you feel like it’s going to be hard…all of a sudden you just blow them off.” — Brian, 17:38 -
On Instructor Attitude:
“Don’t ever decide that you’ve arrived, because there’s somebody out there that will push your shit in with a gun—and they probably don’t carry one for a living.” — Brian, 18:15 -
On Timers:
“It should be used…to gather metrics to understand how fast this shit is for the bad guy.” — Chansey, 25:21 -
On Breaking Myths:
“Name a problem that won’t solve in the law enforcement world, albeit the justification's been established before the trigger’s pressed.” — Brian, 20:33
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- [00:25] – Introduction, context, and goals for part two
- [01:41] – Opening expectations for in-service training and breaking old mindsets
- [03:19] – "Permission to fail" and shifting range environment
- [05:10] – Demonstrating credibly as instructors
- [06:58] – Facing long-standing habit (grip) issues
- [07:36] – Building an environment of improvement
- [10:22] – Trimming range theatrics, focusing on real skills
- [13:36] – Real world vs. range world: setting up realistic, safe training
- [14:44] – Customer service focus in firearms instruction
- [19:34] – Marrying speed and accuracy—debunking old misconceptions
- [21:41] – Critique of drill sheets and rigid instructions
- [22:34] – Timers: metrics, not scorecards
- [24:12] – Teaching hit factor as a learning tool
- [25:21] – Contextualizing timer data (officer vs. adversary)
- [27:47] – Encouraging personal progress with hit factor
- [28:46] – Analyzing timer splits and objective skill measurement
Final Thoughts
The hosts and their guest instructors deliver a frank and practical discussion about the realities of bringing seasoned officers up to speed with modern, effective shooting techniques. They stress instructor credibility, creating a positive/engaging environment, moving away from rote or punitive methods, and focusing on metrics that genuinely matter for real-world performance. Their language is blunt, camaraderie-heavy, and shaped by real range experience—geared to first responders who know the difference between theory and what works when it counts.
