One of the most common refrains heard in law enforcement is that there is no time or funding for all the training officers really need. That's why for the second year in a row POLICE Magazine and the National Shooting Sports Foundation are teaming up to sponsor law enforcement training at the annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show.

The Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) at this year's SHOT lets officers attend high-quality training sessions for the nominal fee of $25. The fee allows any sworn law enforcement officer who is in attendance at SHOT Show 2017 in Las Vegas to attend as much LEEP training as they can fit into their busy schedule.

Training is offered in two tracks: a National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) track and a track of programs by makers of law enforcement gear and noted experts.

NTOA will offer three courses in its track:

On Tuesday Jan. 17 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., NTOA will present "Active Shooter Update and the Advanced Police Officer." This presentation will review recent active shooter incidents for lessons to be learned and examine the ongoing evolution of law enforcement response. The NTOA's Advanced Response Patrol Officer program is designed to prepare first-arriving officers to confront and neutralize the threat and save lives. Instructor Don Alwes is a trainer and consultant with 30 years of law enforcement experience. Alwes is instructor for the NTOA's school, workplace violence, and active shooter response. He is also a firearms instructor for the NRA's Law Enforcement Division.

On Wednesday Jan. 18 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., NTOA will present "Responding to Complex Coordinated Terror Assaults." This seminar will provide basic guidelines that include training and response protocols to coordinated terror attacks involving multiple shooters and even bombs. The integration of tactics between patrol response, tactical response, and bomb squad/EOD response will be discussed, as well as multijurisdictional communications. The instructor Sgt. Jason Mudrock is a 22-year veteran of the Unified Police Department/Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. A 15-year veteran of the UPD/Salt Lake County SO's SWAT team, Mudrock has served as the team's primary tactics instructor teaching firearms, warrant service tactics, barricade tactics, hostage rescue tactics, linear assault tactics, and response to terrorist events. Mudrock is a tactics instructor for the NTOA and president of the Utah Tactical Officers Association 

On Thursday Jan. 19 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., NTOA will present "Building Contemporary SWAT Training and Education Programs." This seminar will provide an overview of NTOA-recommended training requirements as outlined in the 2015 NTOA Tactical Response and Operation Standard. Content includes suggested training management plans and an overview of the NTOA Command College. Instructor Ed Allen served for 29 years with the Seminole County (FL) Sheriff's Office, including 20 years on SWAT. Allen held command positions with the agency's patrol, special operations, and domestic security divisions, and he retired as major in command of the Department of Law Enforcement. He is an NTOA lead instructor and a prior NTOA board member.

Other courses offered in the LEEP program at this year's show include:

Daniel Defense: AR-15/M16 Armorer Training—Topics covered in this 90-minute course include how to conduct a buttstock conversion, how to replace a fire control group, how to replace a barrel assembly, how to upgrade a muzzle device, and how to install a Daniel Defense free-float handguard. The course will also cover necessary tools, preventive maintenance, best practices, and tips and tricks.

Shooting Range Acoustics—This class will cover solutions for noise problems at indoor and outdoor ranges. Discussed will be OSHA and NIOSH regulations, and the effects of too much noise on range personnel. Presented by Bill Bergiadis of Troy Acoustics. Bergiadis is a developer of shooting range acoustical solutions whose expertise has been in demand by law enforcement agencies, the military architects, and engineers for more than 17 years.

Reflex Sights: A Force Multiplier for Law Enforcement CQB Operations—Frank Martello, manager of law enforcement programs for Trijicon Inc., will present this course on the practical use of reflex sights on handguns, rifles, and shotguns.

Unarmed Civilian Response to Active Intruder and Hazard Situations—Presented by Tier One Tactical Solutions and sponsored by Reebok Tactical, this class will teach officers how to instruct schools, businesses, and houses of worship to respond to active attacks and other hazard situations.

Below 100: A Common-Sense Approach to Officer Safety—By teaching officers to take control of situations that have resulted in thousands of law enforcement deaths and serious injuries, Below 100 has become the nation's most successful officer-safety training program. This session, presented by 32-year veteran of law enforcement Dale Stockton, will give an overview of the program, how it works, and how agencies can bring the training to their area for little or no cost. Information on the LEO Near Miss program will also be provided.

Improving Officer Safety with a Concealed-Carry Suit Coat System—This program will demonstrate the performance of the new Cacharme System, a suit coat produced by a top fashion designer and clothing manufacturer in order to help undercover officers discreetly and comfortably carry a concealed firearm. Presented by Gregory Rocque, CEO of Cacharme Systems, LLC.

First Response to Imminent Threat and Weapon Security—This presentation will discuss the latest paradigm shift in training, tactics, and equipment to help departments and trainers address the active killer threat. Presented by Chris Dunn, veteran SWAT officer, detective, defensive tactics instructor, and CEO of a private security/consulting company.

Solutions for Common AR Platform Issues—This brief overview is for the law enforcement rifle armorer who has to know how to keep ARs running in the face of many challenges. The course looks at inspection priorities and common and not so common problems, with a focus on operator headspace issues. Presented by Don Alwes, DoubleStar representative, NTOA instructor, and veteran law enforcement firearms trainer.

Trends & Technology in Firearms Storage—This session will discuss how trends in firearms storage might affect agencies, and provides tips and resources for responding to these shifts. The class covers ways to discreetly store firearms for rapid emergency response, controlled access technology, and how to configure a weapon storage solution that provides the right balance of security and accessibility, regardless of available space or budget. Presented by Gary Lowery, vertical sales manager in the government and public safety markets for SpaceSaver Corporation.

Night Vision Technology: Fact vs. Fiction—This is an interactive presentation on night vision technology and its uses in law enforcement. Thermal and light amplification techniques will be discussed. Presented by Guy Blocker, FLIR business development manager and former U.S. Army helicopter pilot. Blocker has trained law enforcement and military personnel in night vision and thermal sensor systems.

Getting the Most Out of Your Canines—This session will discuss innovative ways to use the police dog, including person-borne tactics, covert tagging, and electronics detection. It will also discuss the newly developed Ergonomic Canine Vest with add-ons by Adventure Lights. Presented by retired British Army canine trainer Paul Bunker of K2 Solutions and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Brian Burns of Adventure Lights.

Improving Tactical Performance by Enhancing Vision—This presentation will incorporate hands-on demonstrations to show that vision plays a major role in both success and safety in tactical environments and will include a discussion of how vision can be improved through training. Presented by Dr. Alan Reichow, co-founder of Vima, which is a company with the mission of "redefining the limits of human performance" through innovative, research-based training techniques.

Using the Blowback Laser Trainer to Improve Marksmanship—This session will introduce students to the Blowback Laser Trainer (a laser training pistol with simulated recoil) and show how it can be used to teach the fundamentals of marksmanship, including grip, sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, and follow through. Each student will have hands-on time with the training pistol, and will learn how to diagnose and correct the most common shooting errors. Presented by Lt. Brian Bixler, a 20-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and a firearms instructor who has taught both recruits and in-service officers.

How Foreign Law Enforcement Can Successfully Receive Equipment from the U.S. and Understand the Export Process—Many foreign organizations experience trouble receiving equipment or training from the United States. This session is aimed at providing foreign agencies with information that will increase their level of success in this process. Subject matter experts will illustrate the U.S. export and purchasing approval processes. The experts will also present case studies of successes and failures with lessons learned. Presented by T.J. Ogden, director and business leader for Defense Export & Logistics in Seattle.

For more information go to  https://shotshow.org/leep/ .