Jay Izienicki - Chief Instructor
Stemming from a lifetime interest in firearms and as an avid outdoorsman and sportsman, Jay began his journey as both a student and instructor of defensive shooting in 1998 and is currently in his 13th year of law enforcement with one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the Southwest. During this time he has gained valuable and relatable insight and experience that is important for the defensive shooter through district patrol operations, felony extraditions, working within arrest-warrant teams, and the DUI Task Force in a non-sworn capacity. Jay has also spent 6 years as both a General and Firearms Instructor with his agency coaching and mentoring hundreds of students, during dozens of firearms academies, on judgmental use of force, mechanical restraints, weapon retention, chemical agents, defensive tactics, less lethal, shotgun, patrol rifle and handgun. As a Firearms Instructor he was recognized by his agency and received a Special Commendation for Outstanding Service in both 2012 and 2013; and in 2014 Jay and 7 others were recognized as Posse of the Year by the agency for their non-sworn work as Firearms Instructors. He also carries numerous firearm instructor, range safety, armed security and concealed carry instructor certifications from the National Rifle Association, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol and Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM).
Jay brings a rare perspective to his firearms training through a unique background that allows him to directly relate the challenges a civilian faces in personal defense and firearm ownership, while still being able to instruct real-life street scenarios from law enforcement - this experience is hard to find in today’s expanse of “Experts” in the firearm training community. His continued service to the community by way of his agency grants him valuable insight into crime trends and the mindset of the criminals victimizing those in the community. Because of this insight, it allows him to inform his students of these trends and instruct on how to prevent them from being victims further or becoming victims in the first place.
His desire to learn remains as strong as ever and he considers himself a lifelong student of firearms, seeking ongoing training, new ideas, and advanced skills from a wide variety of schools and instructors. “As soon as you consider yourself an ‘expert,’” Jay says, “you shut yourself off to learning anything new.”
