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changing the training environment, addressing ingrained habits, fostering buy-in, and shifting range culture away from outdated practices to ones that truly prepare officers for real-life encounters.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.