2018 Event Hosted By8th Annual SniperFest Training & Competition
SniperFest brings together shooters from all over the state- and beyond, to train, interact, and compete while building a sense of comradery and open communication between agencies. The first two days are filled with debriefs, lessons learned, focused training blocks, and presentations from subject matter experts. Day three is a competition where participants can push their limits to win prizes from our amazing sponsors.
Students and instructors come in from all over the country to engage with one another in a challenging but enjoyable environment.
Sniperfest 2018 is ... Read More
Tag: mark lang
19
Jan2019
02
Jul2018
Our team was filmed teaching during the ABC WFTV9 interview with Orlando Police- SWAT teams practice sniper response at Camping World Stadium
"Orlando police snipers fired shots inside Camping World Stadium…"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8X1arxbpro&feature=youtu.be
Originally published by ABC WFTV9 on Jun 14, 2018
Visit the ABC WFTV9 website
Interested in learning more about this class? Visit the Police Sniper Response to a Public Venue page!
17
May2018
Lafayette, LA - Becoming SWAT- Public Venue Training
Every operator with the Special Weapons And Tactics team, as well as each of the eight members who work SWAT full-time at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, has already proven himself as deserving of a spot on the squad--but a lot more goes into becoming SWAT than just making it through the tryouts.Team assessments for LPSO made it evident that high-stress situations are not only part of daily life on the job for SWAT operators, stress is a pretty big part of their training too."Train in the real world, under realistic conditions. Put ... Read More
04
Dec2017
Watch a video compilation on our featured course- Police Sniper Response to a public venue created and taught by Mark Lang and his team.The PSRPV™ Course is an advanced course and is NOT for the beginning Police Sniper. The course is conducted in a true advanced manner and students will need to show proficiency at every stage. PSRPV™ was designed to be the cornerstone for Public Venue Response and Deployment for SWAT teams. Optimally designed for a Police Sniper that is experienced and/or in an instructor role and has excellent skills of marksmanship and fieldcraft. The course is ... Read More
21
Oct2017
SNIPERFEST 2017The 7th Annual Sniperfest Training & Competition was hosted by the Arizona Tactical Officers Association together with Tacflow and Strategic Armory Corps. It was held in Phoenix, Arizona with Day 1 at the Tacville Training Center and Days 2-3 at CowTown Range. Teams came from all over the valley, California, Nevada, and the Army National Guard.
Speakers included:Phil Hayes-/ MCSO, USMC Scout Sniper- Wind
Mark Lang/ Dallas SWAT, Tacflow- 50Cal Overwatch
Freddy Osuna/ USMC, Greenside Training- Man Tracking
Rob Furlong/ Canadian Army, Rob Furlong’s Marksmanship Academy- Longest Shot (TAC50)
L3 NVG & Thermal
2017 Sponsors
COWTOWN RANGE ARIZONA
PATRIOT ... Read More
08
Jun2016
An often overlooked asset is an agencies aerial asset (helicopter), which can serve as an aerial engagement platform with tremendous accuracy and effectiveness. Tacflow Academy’s Aerial Platform Course allows for high levels of accuracy from crawling and medium speeds in aerial assets by incorporating a proven mathematical formula and associated shot placement graph. The course also covers mission planning, rapid deployment, aircraft set-up, aircrew/shooter roles, and safety considerations when utilizing the aerial asset as a shooting platform. Students should utilize .223/.308 type rifles with red dot type optics for optimal performance and precision rifles (sniper rifle) as an additional option ... Read More
26
Apr2016
Video Recap of our Annual SniperFest Training and Competition designed and spear headed by Lead Instructor Mike Puente. This event has grown to include participants from all over the country, and Tacflow is proud to work along side the Arizona Tactical Officers Association to continue to put it together.
This event is made possible through the generosity of many like minded people coming together to support it with their time, finances, and gear. THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this year possible!
26
Nov2015
By Mark Lang
Tactical Edge/ Spring 2015
In March 2008, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued an assessment asserting that stadiums and arenas are potential targets during events. Further, it was stated, “it’s just a matter of time before terrorists target a major sports event.” Open- air venues where fans gather to watch sporting events or concerts are extremely vulnerable to attack.
In January 2009, DHS issued an assessment report titled “Threats to College Sports and Entertainment Venues and Surrounding Areas.” This report expounded on public transportation and infrastructure as a target of attack if the venue is perceived as being ... Read More
20
Nov2015
by Mark Lang
With the recent (June) attack of the Dallas Police Headquarters and subsequent use of a 50 Caliber Rifle to stop the threat, many SWAT officers around the country are reexamining when is the last time they have had any substantive training specific to the employment of their 50 Caliber rifle and whether they will be prepared if a similar attack occurs in their jurisdiction. For many teams, learning of this directed attack, pursuit, and SWAT Operation with an armored vehicle raises issues and questions that quite frankly have not been pushed to the forefront for some time.How ... Read More
17
Jun2015
By Mark Lang
The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in the United States has increased substantially in recent years. Originally developed for military use, the civilian and commercial users are seeing unprecedented growth. Unmanned Aerial Systems is an acronym the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses to describe all of the complex systems in addition to the actual air vehicle. You will also hear and read where they are referred to as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). UAS can vary in sizes and are manufactured by companies such as DGI & Intel. Larger size UAS manufactured by Leptron and Raytheon are in ... Read More
21
Mar2015
by Mark LangThe ScenarioAs the police sniper for your team on a callout you are 85 yards away from your target. The target is in a renovated condo building on the 15th floor. You are armed with your semi-auto .308 precision rifle. You have chambered a purpose built bonded round that you hope and pray can penetrate the glass that you are observing the suspect through. You have no near glass but the far glass may be a problem. At times the suspect comes directly up to the window but most times is at little off the window. You have ... Read More
09
Dec2014
BY MARK LANG
DEC 8, 2014 Officer.com
Any SWAT commander will tell you they want as many options as possible on the table during an operation. It does not guarantee success, but it increases the likelihood of success. One such option is the use of an Aerial Platform (AP). I will refer to it this way but it is also referred to as Aerial Gunnery, Aerial Marksmanship and Aerial Platform Interdiction depending on who you might be speaking with. Aerial Platform is defined as the placing of accurate rifle fire from a hovering, crawling or moving helicopter in support of a ... Read More
23
Oct2014
BY by Mark Lang ON OCT 22, 2014 OFFICER.COM
If you are not moving forward, then in essence you are moving backwards’
This saying is paramount to SWAT operators and the team supervision as they endeavor to be the best they can be. Often overlooked in much of the training and operations is bullet selection and performance. When was the last time you took a serious look at the round(s) that your team and snipers use?A popular belief for the uneducated is that performance on paper equates to proper performance on a human being or a hard target. This couldn’t be further ... Read More
10
Oct2014
by Mark Lang
Officer.com
How much training does your SWAT team do away from your range facility? If your answer is none, then perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate your current training.Think about the amount of time and training you have spent at your range as you keep pushing yourself to be the best you can. You see the same facilities and invariably do the same type of training over and over. From the flat range to a shoot house or a training tower, you have mixed it up as best as you can in the past, but still find yourself doing the ... Read More
22
Jul2014
by Mark Lang
Officer.com
As the Police Sniper it is my responsibility to let my peers and supervisors know my capabilities and limitations. My excuses must be little to none and my standard must be higher than the rest. That is my mentality, my way and direction. If I am standing still, then I am moving backwards. The Police Sniper should be one of the best members of your team.Military and Police Sniper selectionLet’s just get this out front and center: there are differences between Military and Police snipers. Experts have spent hours discussing those differences, but let’s stick to the matter ... Read More
20
Feb2014
"Activities in the BC Place Stadium located in downtown Vancouver were set aside recently to let the Vancouver Police Department snipers train with the instructors of Craft International LLC, co-founded by Chris Kyle. The training helps ensure the criminals will lose the game on a third and final down.In recent years, SWAT teams and Emergency Response Teams across Canada have begun training with consulting and training providers, who are mostly owned by ex-military operators from across the globe, on tactics used by the military. This gives them the edge against a growing numbers of both criminals and potential terrorists. We ... Read More
03
Jun2013
Law Enforcement Technology May 2013
By Mark Lang
"At the completion of this article another terrorist attack has taken the lives of fellow Americans at a major sporting event. These particular cowards who attacked us ran, but ultimately were dealt with by the fine efforts of the Boston-area law enforcement. Sporting events and venues are and will continue to be an attractive target until we get serious about securing them on a consistent basis. It's a huge undertaking, no doubt, but isn't one life worth it?Football games, ice hockey, NASCAR racing…every day our friends and family attend events like these with an ... Read More
15
May2013
by Mark Lang
Officer.com
At the completion of this article another terrorist attack has taken the lives of fellow Americans at a major sporting event. These particular cowards who attacked us ran, but ultimately were dealt with by the fine efforts of the Boston-area law enforcement. Sporting events and venues are and will continue to be an attractive target until we get serious about securing them on a consistent basis. It’s a huge undertaking, no doubt, but isn’t one life worth it?Football games, ice hockey, NASCAR racing...every day our friends and family attend events like these with an expectation of safety and ... Read More
03
Apr2013
“Arkansas State Police and Little Rock and North Little Rock SWAT team members return from sniper positions around War Memorial Stadium during a Police Sniper Response to a Public Venue training session on Wednesday. Police sniper instructors from Craft International of Dallas led the group of Arkansas law enforcement members in a training event at the stadium.”
30
Nov2012
By Andre' M. Dall'au
(Public Venue Countersniping article was originally published by Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement- November 2012)As early as 2004, the government has issued advisories that public venues such as arenas and stadiums had been identifies as prime targets by terrorists. The potential for causing mass casualties in a venue full of unprotected citizens has an obvious appeal to evildoers bent on disrupting our way of life. A lone gunman or a violent, organized group could attack a professional sports event, rock concert, or even your son or daughter's high school football game unless prepared and well-equipped guardians ... Read More