by James R. Hall

Coming from a family of mostly rural folk, I’ve been around firearms all of my life. Guns put food on the table and kept the predators from the livestock and, while it wasn’t generally openly discussed, I guess we all knew that if it were necessary, we could use them to drive off two-legged predators as well.

The simple fact is that from my earliest years I was taught to view guns as nothing more or less than a simple tool. And like any tool, a chainsaw, garden rake or the family pick-up truck, misuse or negligence could lead to tragic consequences. Sure, any tool could be used for evil purposes but because of proper training, good intentions, and thoughtful operation, our civilization has come to depend on tools as much as the air we breathe.

For a number of years now, thanks to the privilege conferred to me by the Commonwealth of KY through my license to carry a concealed deadly weapon, I have routinely packed around what I believed to be a defensive tool just in case I might one day need to protect myself, my loved ones or possibly my fellow citizens. I found out one weekend in October that I was carrying a gun, nothing more. I didn’t quite realize the difference between the two, the HUGE difference, until I met Captain Ken Campbell, the then soon to be Sheriff of Boone County Indiana.

Campbell is a firearms instructor with some rather impressive credentials. He is currently his Department’s Senior Rangemaster, as well as guest Firearms Instructor at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. He has Instructor Certification from Yavapai Firearms Academy, Ltd. and is an Adjunct Instructor and Rangemaster for Gunsite Academy, Inc. in Paulden, AZ. As a seasoned law-enforcement officer, he seems to have a wealth of on-the-job experience that allows him to put tactical theory into a real world perspective and he is quite good at relating that knowledge to others.

Despite all the years I’ve owned guns and the tens of thousands of rounds I’ve sent down range, I had never before taken any type of defensive handgun training. Not that I didn’t want to, I had just never made the effort until a friend pestered me enough to prompt me to sign up for Campbell’s Introduction to the Defensive Pistol, a two day course sponsored by the Boone Co., IN Sheriff's Office.

Campbell was assisted by the very capable Lt. Brent Wheat of the Lebanon, IN Police Department. Wheat has been in the business for 19 years, former head of his department's sniper team, and writes a regular column titled Street Smarts for S.W.A.T. Magazine.

We started off in the classroom learning Campbell's safety doctrine and that any violations would not be tolerated. Of course, he relies heavily on the late Colonel Jeff Cooper’s four basic Firearms Safety Rules: Every gun is always loaded, never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy, keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target, and always be sure of your target and what is behind it. He also had a few other rules not so commonly in use (unfortunately) that made a whole lot of sense. I’ll be the first to admit here that old habits die very hard! And, just like outlaws, the badder the habits, the harder they dies!

Campbell then went on to describe his belief that the Second Amendment applies to all law-abiding individuals and that self-defense is an inherent right held by everyone equally. It’s refreshing for me to see any government official espouse such principles, especially someone in law-enforcement given the perceived attitude of that particular community, and it is extremely gratifying to see these tenets actually put into practice. The good people of Boone County are very lucky to have someone in his position who is not only willing, but obviously quite qualified to provide this kind of training to any law-abiding individual who wishes to give up a couple of days and a rather modest fee to take the course. And, as you may have already deduced from my own attendance, his class is not limited to Boone County or Indiana residents.

Once Campbell got past all of the administrative issues and his reasoning for providing the class, he got to the serious business of how to effectively use a handgun in a defensive situation. Much of what he discussed were common sense techniques, things that anyone with half a brain could figure out in five minutes of semi-dedicated thought. He didn’t spend a whole lot of time here other than to reinforce those ideals and set them as a foundation upon which to build sound methods of implementing the defensive handgun.

The class really started to get interesting when he began to impart the uncommon sense techniques to which most people have never been exposed. Four hours of classroom lecture readied us for the practical application of his techniques. It was somewhere around this point that I began to realize that I was having a very profitable weekend and the real fun was yet to come! We were turned out for lunch with orders to report to the shooting range behind the Sheriff’s Department in about an hour.

At the appointed time we all gathered at the range for a refresher on safety (safety was actually a continuous concern throughout both days) and then a check of everyone’s equipment. The revolvers were grouped together for the instructor’s convenience and we were divided into two relays of eight. Half of us went to the line while the other half had the opportunity stand back and learn from my mistakes!

Campbell began by reacquainting us with the basics he had discussed in the classroom - stance, grip, sight picture, and recoil control, all the while stressing proper procedure. As we all know, Practice makes Perfect – including making perfect all of the mistakes you make while practicing. Do it wrong while practicing and you’ll always do it wrong! Campbell was fond of reminding us instead that "Perfect Practice Makes You GOOD"! He then moved on to various methods of reloading, clearing malfunctions and draw, and presentation, all the while stressing situational awareness and ammunition management.

To be sure, there was plenty of other content discussed in the class that I haven’t included here.  When it was all over and done with, I had developed a whole new understanding of the capabilities, AND limitations, of the gun I had been carrying for so long. And, as you may well have already guessed, I learned about some of my own deficiencies as well. Am I an expert now? Not even close, but I believe I have gained a significant advantage over what I had before and practicing this newfound knowledge will go a long way toward replacing that gun in my holster with a true defensive tool!

If you already are carrying, or plan to carry in the future, or even if you just keep a handgun around the house for self-defense, I highly recommend Sheriff Campbell’s class. (He will be Sheriff by the time you can enroll!) In fact, I was so impressed with his instruction, I plan to send both of my daughters to see him in the very near future!

Sheriff Ken Campbell provides class opportunities several times a year and it would appear that every seat is claimed so I suggest you contact him and get on his mailing list so that you'll be notified immediately when the next class is scheduled. You can reach Sheriff Campbell at:

Boone County Sheriff Department
1905 Indianapolis Avenue
Lebanon, IN 46052
(765) 483-3359
kcampbell@co.boone.in.us

If you decide to look for a different instructor, be sure you do your homework and go with someone who is both reputable and qualified. Your life may well depend on the choice you make!