PW Training Group is an authorized training provider for C3Pathway’s SSAVEIM course
School Safety and Violent Event Incident Management Training
MIKE BOLENDER
Mike Bolender retired from the Oak Creek Police Department after 32 years of service. His last assignment was as the Operations Captain, overseeing the Patrol Division and the Communication Center. Mike has been a Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and an Operations Captain. Mike has been a use of force trainer for 30 years and holds 26 different use of force instructor certifications. He has served as a Use of Force Instructor and established and led the Oak Creek Police Department Use of Force Training Unit for 30 years.
Mike Bolender has responded to two active shooters. The first active shooter was in 2004 at Comfort Suites as one of Oak Creek’s SWAT Team Leaders, his team eventually took the subject into custody after he killed several people, took a hostage, and barricaded himself in a hotel room. The second was at the Sikh Temple, in which Capt. Bolender was tasked with being the incident commander, overseeing operations and response to the shooting at the Sikh Gurdwara.
Mike has spent 15 years on Oak Creek’s Emergency Response Unit (SWAT Team), 10 of which as a SWAT Team Leader, in which he planned, participated, and led hundreds of narcotic search warrants, barricaded subjects, hostage situations, and protest/riot operations. Mike was also a SWAT Tactical Commander overseeing the Oak Creek Police Department SWAT Team, giving him over 25 years of SWAT and tactical experience. Mike has served as a member of the honor guard, field training unit, and numerous other law enforcement units.
Mike has taught across the country to civilian and first responders, sharing his experiences and research. Mike Bolender is an ALERRT Instructor and has taught hundreds of law enforcement officers in Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). Mike Bolender is a certified Instructor for Civilian Response to an Active Shooter Event (CRASE), as well as instructing PW Training Groups – Prevention, Response, and First Care Training for Civilians. Mike Bolender is a School Safety and Violent Event Incident Management (SSAVEIM) Instructor and an Active Shooter Incident Management (ASIM) Instructor. Mike has taught nationwide for C3 Pathways and PW Training Group in active shooter incident management and response.
Mike Bolender is a Committee Member for the Wisconsin Active Threat Integrated Response Conference (ATIRC) and a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP). Mike has trained in numerous martial arts and continues to this day, including boxing, Muay Thai, Japanese Jiu Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Chin Na (joint locks), and received his black belt in Kempo Karate. Mike received his Master’s Degree from Marquette University in Administration of Justice along with a certificate in Leadership.
PW Training Group Founder & Active Threat Instructor
Jack Rehn
Jack is a retired 25-year veteran Fire Lieutenant Paramedic from the City of Oak Creek (WI). He has been a paramedic and active SWAT Medic for over 10 years. Jack is a founding member of the Oak Creek (WI) Fire and Police Department Tactical Emergency Medical Support Unit (TEMS), the first TEMS Unit to be credentialed by the State of Wisconsin. He instructs police recruits in First Care / Buddy Care through Milwaukee Area Technical College police academy.
Jack is a School Safety and Violent Event Incident Management (SSAVEIM) Instructor certified through C3 Pathways as well as an Active Shooter Incident Management (ASIM) Instructor.
Jack is the recipient of the Oak Creek Fire Department Medal of Valor for his actions saving lives in a senior living apartment fire. Jack has taught throughout the United States to corporations, businesses, schools and churches. He is committed to protecting all of our communities with his life saving knowledge.
PWTG - Emergency Medical Services Senior Instructor & First Care Instructor
Joel Batemen
Joel Bateman brings 27 years of law enforcement experience, including 25 years with SWAT, where he served as team leader for 15 years. He was involved in the Comfort Suites active shooter attack and the Oak Creek incident in 2004. Joel’s extensive background in high-pressure situations and leadership makes him an invaluable asset in active threat response and training.
Active Threat Instructor
Jason Kelley
Jason retired in 2022 after serving 26 years at the Beloit (WI) Police Department. He was assigned to the Tactical Operations Unit (SWAT Team) for 25 years and held positions from Operator to finishing out his career as the Commander. Jason was the primary firearms and tactics instructor for the Beloit Police Department and Tactical Operations Unit. Jason has been involved in the Active Shooter response arena for over 20 years. He instructs nationwide for PW Training Group, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT), and C3 Pathways in Active Shooter response and incident management. In 2015, Jason co-founded the Trauma Preparedness Center at Mercy Health in Janesville, WI, and instructs Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS), Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE), Mass Casualty Trauma Care (MCTC), Rescue Task Force (RTF), Workplace Casualty Care (WPCC), Classroom Casualty Care (CCC), Sportsman Casualty Care (SPCC) and Therapeutic Alternatives in Crisis Training (TACT). He was a co-founding member of the Wisconsin Active Threat Integrated Response Conference (ATIRC). Jason co-authored an article titled “Contained Threat Escort Tactics”, which inserted Fire/EMS into an Active Shooter Event (ASE) under to protection of law enforcement personnel and was published in the National Tactical Officer’s Association’s quarterly magazine, The Tactical Edge in 2001.
Active Threat Instructor
Ben Kessel
Ben has spent 19 years in EMS, continuing his professional education as a Physician Assistant, and currently practices in Emergency Medicine in Kenosha. In 2011 he was among the first PAs in Wisconsin recognized with specialty board certification in Emergency Medicine. Ben is the Assistant Medical Director for Kenosha County EMS, a Tactical Paramedic with the Kenosha Sheriff’s Department TEMS team, and a regional EMS educator. His experience as an instructor ranges from providing annual refresher training to multiple EMS services, to serving as Regional and Training Center Faculty for multiple American Heart Association disciplines, as well as a course coordinator and instructor for tactical medicine certification courses through the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. His background in providing a wide variety of care ranging from EMS, sports medicine, and ED critical care have helped shape his unique approach to teaching concepts of prehospital medicine.
Ben’s interest in operational medicine began while serving in the US Navy, which included deployment in 1999 to the Persian Gulf. While performing Visit, Board, Search and Seizure operations in support of Operation Southern Watch, he became acutely aware of the challenges involved in initial injury management and technical rescue considerations in austere environments. His interest in field medicine continued into his transition to a civilian EMS career as an EMT-Basic in 2000, followed by later certification as a Firefighter and Paramedic in 2005. In 2008, Ben completed graduate studies as a Physician Assistant, and entered clinical practice, becoming one of the first PAs in the nation to be recognized with specialty certification in Emergency Medicine in 2011. In 2012, he founded the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department Tactical Emergency Medical Support Team, where he continues to function as a Tactical Paramedic.
In addition to his technical certifications, Ben has earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sports Medicine, a Bachelor of Arts in English, and a Master’s of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. His experience as an educator includes Regional and Training Center faculty instructor certification in all American Heart Association disciplines, teaching as a Wisconsin Technical College EMS Instructor, course coordinator for all National Association of Emergency Medical Technician tactical medicine disciplines, and as a regional EMS conference presenter and lecturer. He continues to serve as Assistant EMS Medical Director for multiple EMS services in Kenosha County as well as a consultant for several law enforcement agencies and private industry.
PW Training Group Medical Director/Active Threat Instructor
Assistant Medical Director, Kenosha County EMS/TEMS
Department of Emergency Medicine, Froedtert South
Steve Harlow
Steve Harlow instructs PW’s Managing Aggressive Behavior and Verbal De-escalation Courses. He has a vast amount of experience and knowledge gained as a 30-plus year trainer and law enforcement officer who has trained those from every career and walk of life. Steve Harlow has been an instructor with PW Training Group since its inception. Steve has created and honed the PW Verbal De-escalation and Managing Aggressive Behavior Training along with its Security courses and its Active Shooter Preparedness and Response Training.
During Steve’s 31 – year law enforcement career he has responded to hundreds of life-threatening, high-stress situations which gives him a unique perspective to teach these courses. After retiring from the City of Glendale, Wisconsin Police Department Steve has continued his law enforcement career and is now an Ozaukee County Sheriff Department member working as a Court Services Officer.
Steve instructs Police recruit level and in-service level courses at Milwaukee Area and Waukesha Area Technical Colleges. He also serves as a security consultant for numerous area businesses and hospitals specializing in subject control principles and communication skills development. Steve is also a member of the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice Training and Standards Tactical Advisory Committee (2000 to present)
Active Threat Instructor
Paul Marik
Paul Marik began his career working undercover straight out of the academy. He is currently a Lieutenant Commander with Pleasant Prairie (WI) Police and is in charge of the detective bureau. Paul has been in law enforcement since 1994 and is the senior trainer for the department. He holds a B.S. and an M.B.A. He is an instructor in Firearms, Defense & Arrest Tactics, Use of Force, Honor Guard, Active Shooter and he holds a master instructor status in Tactical Response and Scenarios. Paul is a Certified Force Science Analyst and a Critical Risk Management Expert. His background consists of undercover narcotics, SWAT, School Resource Officer (SRO) and active threat (shooter). He has given several lectures on terrorism, school safety, violence and today’s youth, sexual predators, and a parent’s guide to keeping kids safe. During his time as an SRO, Lt. Marik was pivotal in helping create many of the procedures that the Kenosha Unified School District still uses today for lockdowns and active threats. Paul is a lead instructor and a highly valued member of the Peaceful Warrior (PW) Training Cadre. Paul has assisted PW Training Group in its creation of a three pronged holistic active threat program to provide would be “victims” with lifesaving preventative measures, in depth response alternatives and “First Care” – Trauma treatment for the innocent bystander so communities might “never again” have to deal with the horrific outcomes of an active threat/shooter. Mike and his Team created a three pronged approach to Active Shooter Events which no other program in the country contains.
Active Threat Instructor
Lisa Reid
School Deployment Team Director / Instructor - Lisa has been a School Psychologist in the Oak Creek-Franklin Jt. School District (OCFSD) since 1994 and the District Safety Coordinator since 2020. She was a co-founding member of the OCFSD’s District Safety Team and District Threat Assessment Team. Lisa was instrumental in developing the district's comprehensive Threat Assessment Guideline and Student Safety Lessons that are used for all grade levels. Lisa is also a member of the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) for the state, trained by Wisconsin's DOJ - Office of School Safety.
PW Training Group - School Deployment Team Director / SSAVEIM Instructor
James Smith
Jim Smith is an accomplished public safety professional with over 30 years of experience as a leader, instructor, investigator, curriculum developer and uniformed police officer in high-crime urban environments. He possesses a wealth of experience. Mr. Smith is an experienced criminal investigator as well as a former fulltime civilian background investigator for a major urban law enforcement agency.
Mr. Smith has previously served in US State Department, Bureau of International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Missions as a United Nations Peacekeeper. Mr. Smith had responsibility for ongoing investigations into War Crimes committed in Kosovo including location of suspects and their apprehension. He was then assigned as an International Police Investigator for the US Department of State serving in Pristina for the European Union (EU) rule of Law mission in Kosovo.
Upon completion of these deployments he was assigned at the Jordanian International Police Training Center in Amman, Jordan He was tasked with overseeing curriculum development & delivery of Defensive & Arrest Tactics and Police Mobile Operations. While serving there as a US Department of State unarmed representative he and many of his colleagues were assaulted by an active shooter (AS) while on base at work. This event has resulted in deep insights into the realities that a civilian will encounter during A.S. style attacks. He has joined Peaceful Warrior Training Group and shared his training expertise, knowledge and experience to enhance and expand the PW program and its lifesaving tactics and concepts. Jim will share personal real life experiences, information and ideas that may well preserve life and limb should the unspeakable happen to seminar attendees.
Active Threat Instructor
Jay Darin
Jay retired in October 2024 after 28 years as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Jay retired as the Assistant Team Leader for the FBI Milwaukee Field Office Special Operations Group. Before that assignment, Jay was the Training Coordinator for the Milwaukee Office, where he was in charge of the active shooter program, special events, and the FBI National Academy. Jay was assigned to the Chicago Field Office from 1996 to 2005, where he worked primarily gang/drug crime on the FBI/Chicago Police Department Joint Task Force on Gangs (JTFG). Upon his transfer to Milwaukee, he was assigned to the Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug/Gang Task Force. Jay was the FBI case agent on numerous high-profile gang investigations and received numerous awards and commendations, including the “2011 Investigation of the Year.” Jay has been an FBI Firearms Instructor since 1999, an FBI Tactical Instructor since 2010, and an ALERRT Active Shooter Instructor since 2013. Jay received his EMT Basic and SWAT certifications in 2003. As the FBI’s Active Shooter Coordinator for the State of Wisconsin, Jay built, coordinated, and managed a statewide active shooter response training program for both first responders (Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS) and civilians. In 2016, Jay founded the annual Wisconsin Active Threat Integrated Response Conference (ATIRC). He was the Chairperson for that conference for seven years and grew it into the largest first responder conference held in Wisconsin. Jay is on the Board of Directors and serves as the Treasurer for the Wisconsin Active Threat Training Association (WATTA). In addition, he currently instructs nationwide for ALERRT, C3 Pathways, and The I Love U Guys Foundation. Since 2013, SA Darin has trained more than 7,000 first responders and countless civilians in active shooter response tactics and active shooter incident management. SA Darin has taught nationally and even internationally, leading a team of FBI personnel who provided active shooter response training to law enforcement officers in Brazilia, Brazil, in September 2019.
Active Threat Instructor
Tyler Cook
Tyler is a member of the Peaceful Warrior training team, where he serves as an instructor specializing in Tactical Medicine and Combatives. Tyler currently serves as a full-time Fire medic with the Village of Pleasant Prairie and is an active Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) Medic on the Kenosha County SWAT Team. In addition to his operational duties, Tyler is a dedicated instructor, regularly teaching both medical and combatives training throughout the State
With over 25 years of experience in martial arts and combative disciplines, and more than 4 years of medical training, Tyler brings a well-rounded and practical approach to instruction. He is a certified instructor through the American Heart Association (AHA), American Red Cross, Stop the Bleed, and C3 Pathways.