Join us at the Arizona Use of Force Conference - Register today!

Jay Wadsworth is a retired law-enforcement professional with over 22 years of service, including 14 years in SWAT operations, and a recognized authority in tactical training and defensive tactics. A 3rd-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former professional MMA fighter, he is the co-founder and Director of Combatives for Effective Fitness Combatives (EFC). Jay delivers science-driven fitness and combatives programs that elevate defensive-tactics training beyond current standards.

Michael Malpass is a retired Arizona law-enforcement officer who served from 1996–2022, with experience as a patrol officer, SWAT operator, tactical training instructor, and lead defensive tactics instructor at his department’s police academy. He is a national kickboxing champion, holds black belts in multiple karate systems, and has trained extensively in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, catch-as-catch-can wrestling, and sambo. An accomplished author on law-enforcement training, Michael holds multiple POST certifications and a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, and is known for integrating modern neuroscience with tactical skills to create reality-based training systems for real-world force encounters.

Paul Sipe is a retired 30-year law enforcement veteran and the owner of Force Encounters Review, LLC, providing analysis and consulting on human factors in police use-of-force incidents. He holds a PhD in Human Systems Engineering from Arizona State University, with research focused on police use-of-force outcomes and Police Jiu-Jitsu. A former homicide detective with over a decade of experience, he has investigated officer-involved shootings and various death cases, contributing expertise to more than 36 OIS investigations, and previously served as an organized crime detective and wiretap case agent.

Sgt. Nick Harrison is a 17-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department, with eight years in patrol and nine years assigned to SWAT/SAU. He is an AZ POST and NTOA-certified instructor in less-lethal systems, chemical agents, defensive tactics, firearms, and carbine. Sgt. Harrison is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt. He integrates operational experience with proven training methods to deliver practical, officer-focused instruction.

Jason Louis is the CEO and co-founder of The Briefing Room and an active-duty patrol sergeant with over 22 years of law enforcement experience across patrol, custody, courts, investigations, special enforcement, and training assignments. He is a California POST–certified instructor in multiple disciplines including defensive tactics and previously served as the full-time In-Service Training Coordinator for a regional training center in Southern California. In addition to being a member of his agency’s use-of-force review board, Jason is also a certified Force Science Analyst, Enhanced Force Investigation Strategies Specialist, Gracie Survival Tactics Instructor, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management. Through his work with The Briefing Room, he equips law enforcement supervisors with practical tools to reduce liability, strengthen morale, and sustain community trust.

Susan Lewis Simons is a nationally recognized expert on law enforcement and military stress, trauma, and resiliency. She is the founder of Under the Shield, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1992. Susan is a Board-Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress and a Fellow with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She is also the creator of the only Stress Coach Certification in the U.S. specifically designed for law enforcement, military, and their families.

With over three decades of experience as a trainer, advocate, and speaker—including work at the FBI Academy in Quantico and with the U.S. Marine Corps—Susan brings real-world wisdom, clinical insight, and deep compassion to every presentation.

Lineup and schedule subject to change - Check back for updates!

How to build functional adaptability into defensive tactics training. Training for a transfer of skills from the training environment to the real performance environment. I will explain why rote, dead drilling cannot get you there and simple steps one can take to make the training more alive yet safe using science based concepts about how adults really learn.

The class introduces human factors (memory, vision, motor skills, training, cognition, etc.) as an element to consider within police use of force

and how these factors can influence law and policy. Human factors are

an element in everything that we train and employ in law enforcement,

and it is important to understand the role of human factors to properly

evaluate use of force training and providing an unbiased criminal or

policy investigation into a critical use of force incident.

This course will teach you the critical skills needed to control and defend against threats in close-quarters situations involving weapons. You will learn how to retain control of your weapon, counter an armed suspect, and neutralize potential threats while minimizing risk to yourself and others.

This course was originally developed around SWAT close-quarters battle (CQB) principles and movement within structures, and has been adapted to meet the needs of patrol officers. Because patrol officers frequently encounter altercations inside homes and other confined environments, this course provides practical instruction in grappling, striking, and subject control specifically designed for close-quarters settings.

Law enforcement officers face constant stress and unpredictable challenges that can build up over time. This course introduces the Simons Theory of the Psychological Garbage Can and provides practical strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and maintaining long-term mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

This presentation examines recent use of force decisions and explains what they mean for officers making split second decisions in the field. It translates court reasoning into practical guidance for tactics, articulation, and supervisory review. Attendees will leave with clear, actionable strategies they can use immediately to align their actions and training with current legal standards.