Chris Grollnek: Active Shooter Prevention Expert

Chris Grollnek is one of the country's leading experts on active shooter response. But if you asked him at age fourteen where he thought his future was heading, you would probably get a much different answer. Forrest Gump tells us that life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you will get. In Chris' case, nothing could be more accurate.

The United States Marine Corps has a way of ironing out wrinkles, not just in uniforms but in life itself. Discipline and hard work is the hallmark of their identity. Chris is another example of what is possible when you partner discipline with direction and then attach it to a purpose greater than oneself. Unfortunately, we need experts like Chris, but we are fortunate to have someone so dedicated to making a difference in saving lives—the lives of our most precious resource, our children. From a runaway at age fourteen to the U.S.M.C., to policing, his life has been an adventure.

From Columbine to Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, Sandy Hook, Pulse, Parkland, and Uvalde, the lessons of our failures as a society and first responders are written in the blood of innocents. We have learned, evolved, and made strides, but we have also failed, forgotten, and in the worst cases, refused to accept what we know to be true. 

After over twenty years, we still struggle to reach a consensus on how best to prepare, train, and, most importantly, prevent these horrific acts of violence. 

In this episode of the Coptimizer Podcast, Chris Grollnek walks us through his key takeaways from years of studying active shooter events. But he also tells us where it all started with him, the day he responded to an active shooter at his police department.   This vital episode sheds some valuable insights into what we should think about as first responders. The hard truth is these events are not going away. They are accelerating in frequency and destruction. The old quote warns us that;  "The best time to start was yesterday; the next best time is now."

I want to thank Tod Langley and Crisis Response Leader Training for hosting this on-location podcast recording. It was a humbling and introspecting afternoon of learning from the world's leading experts on Active Shooter Response.

You can watch this podcast on our YouTube channel by clicking here.