Every law enforcement officer and certainly every law enforcement instructor knows all too well how undertrained the law enforcement community is—especially when you try to balance the level of training in terms of quality and quantity against the requirement to make split-second, potentially life-ending decisions.
The instructors from the Defense Technology Training Academy, who are all seasoned law enforcement officers and instructors, know this as well. That is why, from September 21 to September 25, 2026, in Orlando, Florida, Defense Technology will be putting on their annual five-day training academy conference “DEFCON26” at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Firing Range.
The sad truth is not just that law enforcement is undertrained, but that when outside instructors are brought into an agency or when officers are sent to a class outside of the agency, it is more often than not SWAT officers, firearms instructors, and those with connections.
Meanwhile, it is historically the patrol officer—not the SWAT officer, not the full-time firearms instructor, and not the officer with hooks to attend whatever training they want—that is most likely to be involved in a use-of-force incident. Some reports I have seen show around 70% of Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) incidents occur at the patrol level. Until the day that funding priorities in law enforcement shift, that puts a heavy burden on the training units and training officers of an agency—that burden is not usually carried the way it should be in a lot of agencies.
A law enforcement instructor’s job is maintaining and improving the department’s skills as a whole. That can’t be accomplished by a “one and done” instructor course or by simply waiting for the next recertification course on a given topic. Instructors should be routinely given access to instructor-level classes and opportunities to network with other law enforcement instructors from around the world. That is how ideas and concepts are shared, and training and capabilities are improved.
I know that oftentimes maintaining a standard or raising the bar at your agency is an uphill battle, as I described in a recent article on my patrol rifle program, but the DEFCON26 event is exactly the type of solution I just described.
One of the greatest values of DEFCON26 happens between classes, where officers and instructors from agencies across the country exchange lessons learned, training ideas, policies, equipment solutions, and real-world experiences. Those conversations often become just as valuable as the classroom instruction, all while building lasting professional relationships and friendships across the law enforcement community.
For my administrators out there, the biggest legal liability that agencies face is a failure to train. Sending even one officer or instructor to an event like DEFCON26 has a multiplying effect. That individual returns home with new techniques, lesson plans, instructional ideas, and practical experience that filters throughout the department as they train others. The investment extends far beyond the individual who attends.
To help you track what I am saying, let’s take a look at a few of the featured courses and see what your agency will gain by sending officers to DEFCON26.
Patrol Rifle Instructor
This course focuses on developing confident, capable instructors—not just skilled shooters. It covers instructor development, range management, weapon manipulation, movement, use of cover, and diagnosing shooter performance. The class emphasizes real-world applications officers can immediately take back to their agencies and implement into their programs.
Shoot House Instructor
Taught by retired FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) operators, this course is designed to help agencies safely develop and conduct live-fire shoot house training. It covers everything from safety protocols and scenario development to instructor responsibilities, emergency procedures, and after-action critiques. It is applicable well beyond SWAT teams, including patrol, detectives, narcotics, and academy instructors.
Dry runs, “force on target,” and “force on force” training are great (and necessary), but live-fire shoot house training is a game changer and a wake-up call for poor shooters or shooters who do well on a static range, but who never get held accountable in more high-stress and realistic training scenarios. A law enforcement officer’s first live-fire shots in a structure shouldn’t be in the field.
Defensive Tactics Instructor
The Defensive Tactics Instructor Course provides practical, hands-on instruction in control techniques, weapon retention, baton, handcuffing, OC spray, instructor development, and use of force.
Participants leave with certification and complete course materials to train and certify officers within their own agencies. A strong emphasis is placed on instructor development, communication, and effective teaching methods—not just physical techniques.
Defcon26 instructor Cadre
Every course is taught by instructors who have actually performed the tasks they teach—not simply taught them from a curriculum. Current and former law enforcement professionals, SWAT officers, FBI personnel, and other experienced instructors bring decades of operational experience and lessons learned from the field into every class.
The instructor cadre is led by Ed Kappler, a retired FBI agent, SWAT team member, and firearms instructor. Conference attendees can choose from over 30 instructor-level courses taught by instructors with real-world experience. One example includes former FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) operators/instructors, who will be teaching both breaching and shoot-house instructor courses.
More than just a training event, there will be a sense of community built into the conference, where law enforcement from across the world can come together and network—and not just in class!
Tuition for the conference includes a buffet-style reception and cash bar on Monday night featuring free raffles. This is the perfect time to unwind a little and make connections with like-minded professionals from across the world. Wednesday night will also feature a free social with food.
With over 30 courses to choose from and a tuition-free less-lethal launcher armorer course on Tuesday night, students can either register for five days ($899) and choose which classes to attend, or they can register for individual courses (prices vary).
Choose from classes such as defensive tactics, ballistic shield instructor, firearms, pistol-mounted light instructor, pistol-mounted red dot instructor, patrol rifle instructor, crowd control classes, and more.
Quality training is one of the few investments that continues paying dividends long after the week is over. Whether you’re developing new instructors, refreshing existing skills, or preparing for the next critical incident, DEFCON26 offers an opportunity to learn from some of law enforcement’s most experienced instructors while building relationships with peers from agencies around the world.
To learn more and to register, head over to DEFCON26
