As a police officer, the hardest part of my job was responding to situations after-the-fact. Unlike the exciting car chases and foot pursuits you see on the police shows on TV, most of the police work I did was showing up after someone had been victimized. I would gather information about what happened to include in my report, maybe, if I were lucky, I would get a description of the suspect. Often I was limited to doing what little I could to console the victim.

Most of those victims I dealt with were young ladies who had their property or money stolen, had been attacked, or sometimes, sexually assaulted. I deeply regretted that I could not have been there to protect them, and I realized that if they had only known some of the things I had learned as a police officer, maybe they could have avoided the situation, or at least done something to protect themselves.

I started doing crime prevention presentations to students and parents. I went to training classes, learning more about ways to avoid and deter criminals. And I began teaching others how to reduce the chance of being a victim. As my career moved in a different direction, responding to situations after the fact still happened, but I was also able to make a difference, sometimes preventing people from becoming victims.

On many occasions, while performing my job duties, I was able to intervene and protect someone in a vulnerable situation, stepping in and making sure they were either able to get to home safely, or transported to a medical facility where they would be properly cared for – and not victimized in their condition.

When I retired after 32 years of service – a career primarily made of looking out for, and protecting others, I decided that I could still help those who might be at risk. I have spent most of my life doing this, developing a passion for helping others, and helping them to help themselves. Today, I still teach people to avoid trouble, and if that doesn’t work, skills to protect themselves against those who might want to harm them or those they care about.

I often have clients who are afraid when they arrive in class. They might be afraid of guns, but they are more afraid of what might happen to them if they don’t have a way to defend themselves. They understand that a firearm is a tool that can help them protect themselves, but they don’t know much about it, or how to use it. Over the next several hours, we talk about personal safety, avoiding trouble, being alert and aware, and we talk about guns.

We go over several makes and models, we take them apart, manipulate them, learn how they function, and how to handle them safely. I show them how to hold a gun in a way that they can control it, absorb the recoil, and we practice techniques they can use under stress, when their hands are shaking, and they are terrified of what is happening. We talk about when they can and can’t use a gun, and what happens should they actually need to shoot someone.

Toward the end of the course, we go to the range and shoot the gun. They are sometimes surprised to actually hit the center of the target and qualify on the required course of fire. Afterwards, they realize they can in fact use a firearm to protect themselves. And instead of being afraid, they leave the class confident, and self-assured of their abilities. They are wary, and understand that bad things are still out there, but that they can fight back if they need to.

Being able to give someone the knowledge and skills to protect themselves, and seeing how what I have shared has empowered them – is the best reward I can possibly imagine. If you are ready to take that step yourself, please let me help you in your journey. Thank you for visiting, I hope you will find something of interest.

“Clement Weather” – What does that mean?

One time, during a trip to Oklahoma to visit relatives, we arrived the day after a tornado had been through the town. We noted that the sun was out, and we were having “Clement Weather” after those around us had been through the “inclement weather” the day before.

Clement Weather – “Training to bring you through the storm…” I provide you with information and knowledge to help you avoid trouble. But, if despite your best efforts, should trouble come into your life, you will have the skills necessary to protect yourself, to get through that “dark storm,” and get safely back to the sunshine and clear weather on the other side.