OUR TEAM

Lead InstructoR

DON VEAL

Don Veal is a decorated retired law enforcement professional who served as a Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Department of Justice from August 1987 to his retirement in December 2017. Don currently works as an adjunct law enforcement instructor for Louisiana State University National Center for Bio-Medical Research and Training (NCBRT).

Don was selected to become an original member of the ATF’s Entry Control Team - the precursor to the current Special Response Team program - in 1989, and he continued to function as an operator until his retirement from the program in 2017. In 1990, Don was first selected to become a firearms instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, which was the first of many instructor positions. He was also the ATF National Academy Instructor, Taser Master Instructor, Reality Based Scenario Instructor, Law Enforcement Instructor Training Program, and Active Shooter Instructor.

Don has instructed for the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA) located in San Salvador, El Salvador (2010, 2011); Budapest, Hungary (2012, 2017); Gaborone, Botswana (2013); and Bangkok, Thailand (2016) in law enforcement leadership development, firearm trafficking investigations, and firearm identification/safety.

Joel Pattison

Joel Pattison is a veteran of the U.S. Army who served with the 37th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Ariborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Joel retired after 28 years at the rank of Lieutenant with the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after joining in 1994. He has served in Uniform Patrol, Criminal Investigations, and BRPD Training Division.

Upon retirement, Joel had 23 years with the BRPD Special Response Team (SRT). Throughout his SRT career, he transitioned through the ranks of Operator/Assaulter, Sniper, Team Leader, Tactical Commander, and retired as the Operations Commander. Joel has an extensive instructor background that includes being a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified Law Enforcement firearms instructor since 1997. In addition, he served as the commander of the Firearms Training Unit and the Rangemaster for BRPD before returning as a supervisor in Uniformed Patrol. Joel’s last assignment was as a member of the Louisiana State Police Fugitive Task Force.

Chris Polito

Chris Polito has 28 years and counting of law enforcement experience with the Baton Rouge Police Department. He is currently the Captain over the Special Operations Bureau and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Commander, and he has been a member of the BRPD SWAT for over 17 years. Chris is certified as a POST Firearms Instructor and a Concealed Carry Instructor. He is also a law enforcement instructor for the National Center for Bio-Medical Research and Training (NCBRT) with teaching certifications in Active Shooter Training; Tactical Operations in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Environments; and Run, Hide, Fight. Chris is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. (268)

Eric Bauer

Eric Bauer is a retired decorated Senior Special Agent with 29 years of service for the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). While serving with ATF, Eric was a criminal investigator, a federally certified firearms instructor, and a Division Tactical Advisor. While working for ATF, Eric was a certified use-of-force instructor and class coordinator at the ATF National Academy located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Brunswick, Georgia. Eric was also a tactical SWAT operator for ATF's Special Operations Division (SOD) for 21 years and conducted tactical missions throughout the United States. Eric currently works in the private sector as a firearms and tactical instructor and in the private security arena performing site security and executive protection.

Mark Holley

Mark Holley recently retired from the Shreveport Police Department in Louisiana after serving with the department for over 31 years. Mark began his career in 1978 as a patrol officer, serving in that capacity for 2.5 years before transferring to the Office of Special Investigation Bureau (OSI). In OSI, he was assigned to the narcotics unit and also worked briefly in the Vice unit.

He remained assigned to the OSI Bureau for the next 27 years working all aspects of narcotics enforcement, including the street narcotics squad, the mid level investigative squad, and the Drug Enforcement Agency Drug Task Force (DEATF). He also served as supervisor in all three squads. In his promotion to Lieutenant, he served as supervisor of all narcotics operations for the Shreveport Police Department. In 2003, he was promoted to Captain of the OSI Bureau and served as commander over all functions within the Bureau which included narcotics, vice, intelligence, and SWAT operations. He served in this capacity until 2007 when he was promoted to Assistant Chief of Investigations and served as the Division commander for all Detectives and OSI Bureau operations until his retirement in 2009.

Mark has over 23 year’s tactical experience. His positions on the SRT team included assault team member, assault team leader, sniper, sniper team leader, and SRT commander.

Randy Benton

Randy Benton retired from the Shreveport Police Department after 25 years of Service. During his career he served with the SWAT Unit for 15 years.  During this time, he served as an assault team member, sniper team, team leader, and trainer. Randy is also a POST firearms instructor and has held positions at our regional training academy as a firearms and tactical instructor.

During his career, he worked within the Narcotics Unit including undercover operations, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Homicide Division, and Sex Crimes Unit. He is currently on Staff at the Shreveport Regional Training Academy as a Firearms and Tactical Instructor.

Randy has extensive experience training police, military, fire/EMS, and civilians in weapons training; tactical operations; integration of agencies; run, hide, and fight; and work place violence.

Scott Adams

Scott Adams is a decorated 31 year retired ATF agent with extensive experience in tactical operations. Scott spent 28 years in SWAT and 12 years as a SWAT commander. He has over 25 years experience as an instructor in tactical operations and tactical firearms training. With ATF, he participated in complex firearms and violent narco-trafficking investigations and was assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. He assisted starting the ATF armed home invasion robbery scenario - utilized by ATF for over 30 years - targeting violent armed home invasion robbery suspects. Scott was awarded four Hostile Action Awards, a Medal of Valor, and the Director’s Gold Star while with ATF.

Instructor