PreFense is supported by a diverse range of active and retired law enforcement professionals – sheriffs, police chiefs and dedicated peace officers, who generously lend their time, experience and expertise toward the tactical soundness of the PreFense suite.
Wayne B. Black
Wayne B. Black has more than forty years of professional security experience in both the public and private sectors. He was selected as the Security Coordinator for the Jewish Olympics Maccabi Games in Boca Raton, Florida. He routinely provides detailed life safety/threat assessments for schools, churches, synagogues, corporations, hospitals and other public facilities. Wayne has personally supervised protection details and special threat assignments in the United States, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and South America.
As a contractor for the US Department of Homeland Security after the events of 9/11, he supervised a Red Team conducting threat assessment and penetration surveys at national security events such as Top Officials IV and Super Bowl Arizona. Mr. Black has been qualified to testify as an expert witness regarding security in Federal and State courts. He also served as a law enforcement group supervisor in Janet Reno’s State Attorney Public Corruption/Organized Crime Division in Miami. Prior, he was assigned to the United States Justice Department Inter-Agency Task Force at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) where he received numerous awards and commendations from the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney. He has held national level security clearance(s).
Sheriff Steve Luce
(Ret.)
Since February 2009, retired Knox County Sheriff Stephen Luce has served as the Executive Director for the Indiana Sheriffs Association. As the Executive Director he administers all affairs of the Association including statewide training for all Sheriffs and their employees, legislation, fundraising, annual membership drive, acts as a liaison for the Sheriffs in communicating to State Offices and the Governor Pence’s Office, as well as organize and supervise research and educational programs for the Association.
In 1985, Luce began his career in the Knox County Work Release Program as a supervisor and in 1990 he was hired on to the Vincennes Police Department as a Patrolman working much of his time as a School Liaison Officer. In 1997 he was appointed as a Deputy with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and was elected as the Knox County Sheriff in 2002. During his term as the Knox County Sheriff, Luce served on the board of directors for the Indiana Sheriffs Association and in 2007 he was appointed president of the association. In 2007, he was also appointed by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to the Indiana Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. Luce graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, in June of 1990 after studying at Indiana University, Hanover College and Murray State University.
Steve Luce’s efforts in working with both the Indiana Sheriff’s Association (ISA) and the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) are recognized as part of a law enforcement collaborative effort at the national level in working diligently toward the improvement of school security in America.
Sheriff Steve further extended this collaborative effort toward sustainable intervention in preventing school violence via new initiatives focused on promoting and accelerating tangible resources to build and maintain protocols that insulate schools from violence. His ongoing efforts in working with school leadership, the judicial system, law enforcement community stakeholders, and their federal partners, continue to this day with school safety resource platforms and initiatives that offer support in creating learning environments that minimize potential threats and maximize resilience, while providing insight to public safety and recognizing that the first responsibility of a school is to educate.
* 2020- Appointed as Co- Chair, National Sheriffs’ Association – School Safety and Security Committee
*2012-2014 National Sheriffs’ Association Jail Advisory Committee Member
*2012-2014 Chairman of the National Sheriffs’ Association of State Sheriffs’ Association Executive Directors
*2013 Vice-Chair of the National Sheriffs’ Association of State Sheriffs’ Association Executive Directors
*2010 Chair of the Indiana Sheriff s Association Sex Offender Registry Committee
*2010 Secretary for the National Sheriff s Association State Executive Directors and Presidents Committee
*Indiana American Legion Lewis Schmidt Law Officer of the Year award (2006)
*Indiana Veteran s of Foreign Wars Law Officer of the Year Award (2008)
Damon Fay
Damon Fay is a retired 24-year veteran investigator and Sergeant for the Albuquerque Police Department in New Mexico. He was a primary case agent for homicides, police officer involved shootings and major violent crimes cases for 14 of his career years. As a supervisor he led an officer involved shooting team and assisted in numerous major crime joint jurisdictional investigations and task force initiatives. Damon is a recognized expert in homicide investigations, police use of force and general police procedures. During his extensive investigative career he has developed nationally accepted procedures for homicide investigation and cold cases. He has become one of the leading circumstantial case specialists in the country. Local, state and federal prosecutors and police command have called upon Fay many times in his career to provide expertise in complex, high profile and highly sensitive investigations. As a Sergeant of the Advanced Training Unit of the Albuquerque Police Academy, Damon and his staff oversaw the specialization training and career advancement of police personnel. He is an instructor in Use of Force and Intermediate Use of Force, Homicide and Cold Case Investigation, Major Case Management, Interview and Interrogations and Contact Weapon Defense. Damon currently lectures, professionally instructs and remains an industry expert witness and technical advisor.
Monte Gould
Monte Gould is a former (honorably retired) State of California Peace officer (27 ½ years of service) and SWAT (HRT) member (22 ½ years), former US Marine, and US Army Special Operations Forces (24 years of service) active and reserve SNCO. His last SWAT assignment was as an Assault Team leader and Master SWAT state instructor. He has participated in multiple combat, foreign & domestic and counter-narcotic missions; combat operations with US, Dutch and French Special Forces including the elite French “Commandos Hubert”.
Further working as a contractor in High-risk protection teams with heads of state and clients throughout the world. Monte has attended numerous Civilian Law Enforcement, Army, Marine and Navy special operations related schools, and extraordinary training. He is a certified Firearms Instructor, holding numerous FBI, State of California and manufacture certification relative to weapons instruction and Executive protection. Throughout his career he has attended over 130 different schools, classes and advanced instructor trainings. He possesses specialized knowledge of Hostage rescue in fortified locations / heavily reinforced target locations, urban operations and CQB.
Tom Rovetuso
Gulf War veteran Tom Rovetuso is the Owner and Chief Instructor of Angel One Training Group, LLC. A1TG conducts firearms and tactics training for law enforcement, military and civilian clients. Currently serving as a part-time police officer for the Village of Lakemoor, Illinois, assigned as the training officer, Tom is honorably retired after 24 years of service with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office with his last five years assigned to the Training Division as the full time Senior Firearms and Tactics Instructor and part-time Tactical Response Team (TRT). Tom served 23 years as a member of the Tactical Response Team and has extensive training and experience in Police Special Operations and Police Sniping.
While serving on TRT, Tom held the positions of Entry Team Member, Assistant Team Leader, Team Leader, Sniper, Sniper Team Leader, Assistant Field Commander and Field Commander. Tom has extensive experience in school safety critical incident management and active shooter training. Mr. Rovetuso served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry Sergeant and is a Gulf War Veteran.
Sheriff Ron Skinner
(Ret.)
Sheriff Ron Skinner began his career in law enforcement in 1972 as a reserve deputy for Washoe County, Nevada. He moved to Emery County, Utah in 1976 to take a full-time deputy position and worked the rest of his career in rural law enforcement agencies in Utah, Colorado, and Nevada, retiring in 2011, after serving four terms as Sheriff of Pershing County, Nevada.
Sheriff Skinner is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy and has extensive training and certification in administration, investigation, and community policing. He served as Commissioner on the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training Board and was a member of the Governor’s Commission on Substance Abuse, Intervention and Prevention.
Sheriff Jim Whalen
In 1976 Sheriff Jim Whalen began his law enforcement career in the U. S. Air Force as a law enforcement specialist. In 1982 he became a police officer for the City of Garden Grove in Orange County, California. During his tenure with Garden Grove, he was a patrol officer, field training officer, a career criminal surveillance team member and a detective. Additionally, while working at Garden Grove he obtained his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from California State University, Fullerton.
Due to residing in Riverside, California, Jim transferred to the Riverside Police Department in 1988. After working for Riverside, Jim and his wife (Bobbie) followed their dream and moved to Jackson (Hole), Wyoming in 1990, where Jim began his Wyoming law enforcement career with the Jackson Police Department. Jim became a school resource officer and DARE officer in 1992. In 1999 he was asked to become the Operations Captain at the Teton County Sheriff’s Office by the newly elected sheriff. During his tenure as captain, Jim obtained his Masters degree in International Criminal Justice through Michigan State University.
In 2009, Jim was appointed Sheriff when the elected sheriff retired midterm. Jim was then successful in two elections after his appointment and served two additional 4-year terms. He retired from law enforcement in January, 2019. Jim is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (class 253) and attended the Southwestern Law Enforcement Legal Institute command college.
Deputy Chief Jason Zdilla
Assistant Chief Jason Zdilla retired from the Chandler Police Department in October 2019, after serving the city for 25 years. He has extensive experience in patrol response, criminal investigations including computer forensics and data security, tactical response, homeland security and risk mitigation, and employee development and accountability. Assistant Chief Zdilla holds a Master of Administration from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Arizona State University.
Jason is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command and has served on the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Technology and Communications subcommittee and the FirstNet Authority as the IACP representative to the Public Safety Advisory Committee.
Jeff Dooley
Jeff Dooley is a former law enforcement officer with over 26 years of experience. Street crimes (Crime Suppression Unit), SWAT team member, and team leader, K-9 handler, Criminal Investigations, Firearms Training Unit, and finishing his career as a Sergeant in the patrol division.
During his time in street crimes and Criminal Investigations his primary focus was analyzing criminal trends/behaviors to assist in developing tactics to apprehend criminals and teach citizens the importance of risk mitigation and assessments to their home and businesses.
Jeff holds a BS in Emergency Management and is the managing member of Personal Responsibility LLC that teaches Firearms, Edged weapons, and CQB (Close Quarter Battle) skills and tactics. He continues to work with private schools and businesses to enhance their armed security and command systems.
Ashley Dooley
Ashley Dooley is a Special Agent with Tennessee’s investigative agency with over a decade of law enforcement experience. From Probation/Parole Officer to Patrol Officer to Special Agent, Ashley has acquired various critical skill sets affording her a unique and practical understanding of crime and the people who commit it. She is additionally a State-certified and NRA-certified Firearms Instructor. Ashley remains operational and continues training cadets and fellow agents at her agency, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to prevail in real world altercations. Ashley additionally works as an advanced weapons and hand-to-hand skills training contractor in the private sector,
Utilizing her unique background, Ashley teaches others how to research current crime trends to properly prepare concerned citizens to mitigate risk and crime. Focusing on the importance of situation awareness, threat identification, and how to manage fear. Ashley promotes development and implementation of contingency plans before they are needed. Ashley is passionate about providing women the knowledge and skills to be their own best defense against an attacker and donates her time to local law enforcement agencies to assist with their R.A.D. programs to ensure women have those skills.
In addition to her current field work, Ashley is an active Gunsite Academy Staff Instructor where she is employed to train both civilian and law enforcement professionals of all skill levels on the principles of safe and responsible gun handling, marksmanship, and close quarter defensive tactics.
Mick Williams
Mick Williams is a 28 year veteran of law enforcement, currently he is the Captain of Operations for a mid-size city in the Midwest. Mick’s career has spanned SWAT, patrol operations, and training. He has trained officers and civilian personnel in active shooter response, tactical operations, high threat security planning and response, firearms, driving, and defensive tactics. Mick has been the Lead Agent in Charge for dignitary protection details and has conducted joint protection details with federal agency partners such as the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the US Secret Service. He has conducted and led tactical operations to include hostage rescues, high-risk warrant services, and barricaded suspect operations.
Mick holds instructor certifications at a state level for law enforcement training in firearms, emergency driving, and defensive tactics. Additionally he has attended training with a wide variety of training providers in the firearms and self-protection industry to include Steve Tarani, EAG, Yavapai Firearms Academy, Viking Tactics, Gunsite, Glock, Presscheck Consulting, Centrifuge Training, Shivworks, Strategos International, and many more.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Mick is a lifelong martial artist. He holds black belts in Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Modern Arnis, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He holds instructor certifications in Filipino Martial Arts and Jun Fan Gung-Fu. He has competition and coaching experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and kickboxing. While he enjoys coaching competitors, his true passion is developing people’s resilience, confidence, and self-protection abilities through the vehicles of martial arts and tactical skills training.
Christopher Lapre
Dedicating his services as a professional law enforcement officer for nearly 25 years, Chris LaPre currently commands the Pinal County Arizona Regional SWAT Team comprised of thirty-two SWAT operators, seven crisis negotiators, and related operational support assets, managing multi- jurisdictional high-risk warrant services, barricade/ hostage situations, executive protection, counter-sniper and other high-threat operations. Serving in a protective services capacity, the Pinal County Regional SWAT team, under LaPre’s command, additionally conducts security details for state and federal dignitaries facilitating overwatch, interior security, coordinated escorts and motorcade protective operations.
Chris concurrently serves at the agency’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) as Lieutenant in charge of the Pinal County Narcotics Task Force and Anti-Smuggling Unit operating out of the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) where he directs interagency assets partnered with U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations, along with DEA and collaborative state and local units to combat illegal smuggling within Pinal County and the state of Arizona.
Having served as a patrol sergeant for over 6 years LaPre has supervised various patrol squads, the Field Training Officer Unit, and Street Crimes Squad. Running both overt and covert criminal investigations, Chris has also served as a Gang Unit Detective, and a Task Force Detective assigned to DEA Task Force Group 2, Phoenix Field Division. Prior to entering special investigations Chris served as a patrol deputy and a peace office in the state of Arizona since July of 1999.
Possessing extensive experience in multiple firearms platforms, open area movement, tactical field and tracking operations, Chris regularly provides instruction to numerous law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies across the U.S. throughout the public sector and currently serves as a member of the Arizona POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) Firearms Instructor Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee.
Tim Tucker
Tim Tucker has provided professional services throughout the civilian law enforcement community for over 20 years. Serving more than 10 of those years as a sheriff’s deputy, and a member of the agency’s Special Response Team (SRT) for 9 years. Tim also served the sheriff’s office in the capacity of General Training Instructor as a departmental resource for state mandated training requirements, Taser Instructor, defensive tactics, ground fighting and close quarter combat.
Although still active in the law enforcement training community, Tim is also CEO and Chief Instructor at Tactical Advantage “Firearms & Self-Defense Training” with over 900 hours of comprehensive firearms and defensive tactics training from leading experts nationwide, combined with 30 years of martial arts mastery, Tim is a qualified subject matter expert (SME) committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of his extensive client base.
Bridging his extensive hard skills expertise from the law enforcement and civilian training arena to building inspection services, Tucker oversees complex residential and commercial projects nationwide. With dozens of specialized certifications, Timothy excels at managing intricate initiatives for diverse clients. Having completed 10,000+ inspections coast-to-coast, he is a licensed home inspector and ICC certified building official.
Tim is additionally an accomplished public speaker on the topic of personal safety with a decade-long track record conducting tailored seminars for large scale venues and private audiences nationally and holds a 6th- degree Black Belt providing top shelf instruction to high-value clientele.
Omer Lewis “Lew” Gosnell II (Sergeant, Ret.)
With thirty-one years of experience working as a peace officer on the streets of East Los Angeles, Lew Gosnell was there to see what worked, and what did not, during the turbulent years of the Crack Cocaine epidemic and the violence that came with it. The methods of enforcement and countermeasures that best dealt with the gang members and their associates committing those crimes, and were headline news during the 1990’s.
A United States Marine Veteran Military Police Supervisor at Camp Pendleton, he served as a Tactical Team Supervisor, working with a team responsible for special assignments as determined by the base Provost Marshal. An honors graduate of Rio Hondo Police Academy in 1990, and multiple commendation recipient from two police agencies, including the Police Star, for outstanding tactics in a lethal force situation and the Life Saving Medal.
Sergeant Gosnell developed and implemented an “Active shooter” program, supervised the city’s Bike Patrol services, implemented the agency’s first rifle program and was the senior Rangemaster, responsible for all firearms and tactics training of all sworn personnel for the Huntington Park Police Department.
As a patrol supervisor for the City of Maywood, California, he supervised a highly successful felony warrant team, responsible for the apprehension of violent felony suspects, serving over fifty “High=Risk” warrants for murder, robbery, rape, kidnapping and narcotics suspects. Over the course of said service, there incurred no firearms related use of force, or serious injury to officers or suspects.
Retiring from active Peace officer status in 2021, Mr. Gosnell has devoted his professional training interest to the field of “Church Defense”, and responsible and safe firearms defense for citizens, teaching at the Gunsite Academy, in Paulden, Arizona.
A Superior Court certified expert in firearms and lethal force use, Mr. Gosnell teaches the specialty class of “Church Defense” and defensive use of the rifle, pistol and shotgun, at Gunsite Academy. He also lectures on site security to all faiths and community groups across the United States.
Chief John Hall
Chief John Hall has over thirty years of law enforcement experience. As a California Police Officer, John has served in a multitude of assignments to include Patrol, K-9’s, Gangs, Investigations, Narcotics, and Administration & Training. His longest continuous assignment was in Special Weapons & Tactics and Crisis Negotiations. In 2004 he was serving as the Team Leader and leading his Team to apprehend an armed subject when the subject opened fire on him and his team. For his actions during that incident, Chief Hall (then Sergeant Hall) was awarded the Department’s Medal of Valor, the highest award the Department could award to an Officer. Continuing to serve his Department and the Community, he worked his way through the ranks and in 2018 was selected to become a Chief of Police, a role in which he continues to serve.
Chief Hall holds a Bachelor’s Degree from National University and a Master’s Degree from California State University, Fresno. He is one of the select few who is a graduate of the prestigious California Police Chiefs Executive Leadership Institute at the Drucker School of Management and is also a graduate of the Sherman Block Leadership Institute. Chief Hall is a member of the Legislative and Law Committee for the California Police Chiefs Association and is also a member of the Firearms Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is currently the Chair for a Police Academy Advisory Board and is also a current board member for a High School Pathway Program on Law, Justice, & Ethics.
Chief Hall is a U. S. Army Combat Veteran, and is a current adjunct instructor at two Community Colleges. He is also an instructor at two police academies, where he teaches numerous topics. In addition to providing training to entry level police officers, Chief Hall has been requested numerous time to provide firearms and tactical training at the advanced officer level. Furthermore, Chief Hall continues to provide firearms and tactical training to military, law enforcement, government, and civilian groups. He is a certified instructor in firearms, tactics, weaponless defense, first aid/CPR, Use of Force, and numerous other topics. He has extensive experience in courtroom testimony and has testified in numerous criminal cases where he has qualified as an expert witness on multiple subjects.