DAVID OGDEN
Dave Ogden is a 25 year veteran of law enforcement, where he currently holds the position of Captain. He is considered a subject matter expert in use of force and police training, and has testified in multiple civil and criminal cases for his agency, as well as privately for O-Force Training & Consulting, LLC. Dave has an extensive tactical background, spending nearly 14 years on a central Florida SWAT Team, where he served as a Team Leader and the Lead Defensive Tactics Coordinator. He has also served as the Training Coordinator for his agency, where he was responsible for developing the use of force, self defense and high liability training curriculum for nearly 2000 employees. Dave has lectured on use of force training and self defense across the United States.
Dave has been a personal martial artist for 27 years, holding Black Belt Degrees in Karate, as well as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, under Professor Marcio Simas, with Gracie Barra Orlando. He is the Director of Law Enforcement Operations for the Florida Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation and Sports Coordinator for the Florida State Police and Fire Games Submission Grappling Events. He has competed in local, state, and International tournaments in the United States and Brazil. Dave believes in “tactical self defense” and has integrated his unique background of mental preparation for critical encounters, law enforcement defensive tactics, ground fighting, and martial arts skills into a complete self defense system.
GREGG THOMPSON
Gregg has been in law enforcement for over 25 years. He is currently a detective with a local law enforcement agency and was previously assigned as a SWAT team member. He also is currently the defensive tactics instructor at a Central Florida Police agency. He trains about fifty law enforcement personnel every week, and throughout the year. He is responsible for creating and implementing the ground defensive tactics ata local law enforcement agency. Along with Dave and Dennis, he also helps with seminars for the SWAT team’s ground fighting system. Gregg has also been training the emergency response team for the sheriff’s office for the past two years as well.
Gregg started training in Okinawa as a Marine while stationed there. He resumed his martial arts training and obtained a black belt in Hapkido. In 2001, Gregg started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Marcio Simas. He is a black belt in Jiu-jitsu and also an instructor for the school and has taught at a satellite school in Clermont for the past 3 years.
DENNIS ELA
Dennis is a thirteen year veteran of law enforcement and currently holds the position of Sergeant with a local police agency. He additionally holds the position of assistant team leader and lead sniper with the SWAT team, which he has been a member of for over ten years. Dennis has also served as a Deputy in the Gang Enforcement Unit, as a Deputy and supervisor in the Bike and Street Crimes Unit, and has been the supervisor of an undercover felony vehicle apprehension unit for the past five years. He serves as an instructor within the agency in diversionary vehicle tactics, defensive tactics, active shooter response, and SWAT tactics.
Dennis has been a Florida SWAT Association instructor for over seven years. He instructs various sniper courses, tactical carbine, and has developed and instructed diversionary vehicle tactics. He has instructed for this organization throughout the state as well as throughout the country. Dennis has also been an International Police Technology and Management (IPTM) instructor teaching dynamic entry, methodical entry, hostage rescue, and various firearms courses in IPTM’s Basic SWAT School.
Dennis has been an active practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over five years with Gracie Barra Orlando, and continues to compete in local, state, and national tournaments. He believes strongly in physical and mental preparation, and continually seeks to strengthen and evolve in all things tactical.
MATT BUTLER
Born in Orlando, Fl. to a Deputy Sheriff and his wife, Matt was the youngest of four boys. Educated locally, he attended the University of Florida and received a B.A. in English Literature in 1992. Matt was hired by a local law enforcement agency in 1992 and worked a variety of assignments including Patrol as a Deputy and Supervisor, street crimes Bike Unit, Auto Theft, an undercover tactical unit and the Field Training Unit. He was selected to join the SWAT Team in 1996 and now currently serves as a Team Leader and is the Team’s Training Coordinator. Matt has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well as kick boxing and various self-defense methods.
Matt has been married for 15 years and has two daughters.
Dave Ogden is a 25 year veteran of law enforcement, where he currently holds the position of Captain. He is considered a subject matter expert in use of force and police training, and has testified in multiple civil and criminal cases for his agency, as well as privately for O-Force Training & Consulting, LLC. Dave has an extensive tactical background, spending nearly 14 years on a central Florida SWAT Team, where he served as a Team Leader and the Lead Defensive Tactics Coordinator. He has also served as the Training Coordinator for his agency, where he was responsible for developing the use of force, self defense and high liability training curriculum for nearly 2000 employees. Dave has lectured on use of force training and self defense across the United States.
Dave has been a personal martial artist for 27 years, holding Black Belt Degrees in Karate, as well as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, under Professor Marcio Simas, with Gracie Barra Orlando. He is the Director of Law Enforcement Operations for the Florida Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation and Sports Coordinator for the Florida State Police and Fire Games Submission Grappling Events. He has competed in local, state, and International tournaments in the United States and Brazil. Dave believes in “tactical self defense” and has integrated his unique background of mental preparation for critical encounters, law enforcement defensive tactics, ground fighting, and martial arts skills into a complete self defense system.
GREGG THOMPSON
Gregg has been in law enforcement for over 25 years. He is currently a detective with a local law enforcement agency and was previously assigned as a SWAT team member. He also is currently the defensive tactics instructor at a Central Florida Police agency. He trains about fifty law enforcement personnel every week, and throughout the year. He is responsible for creating and implementing the ground defensive tactics ata local law enforcement agency. Along with Dave and Dennis, he also helps with seminars for the SWAT team’s ground fighting system. Gregg has also been training the emergency response team for the sheriff’s office for the past two years as well.
Gregg started training in Okinawa as a Marine while stationed there. He resumed his martial arts training and obtained a black belt in Hapkido. In 2001, Gregg started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Marcio Simas. He is a black belt in Jiu-jitsu and also an instructor for the school and has taught at a satellite school in Clermont for the past 3 years.
DENNIS ELA
Dennis is a thirteen year veteran of law enforcement and currently holds the position of Sergeant with a local police agency. He additionally holds the position of assistant team leader and lead sniper with the SWAT team, which he has been a member of for over ten years. Dennis has also served as a Deputy in the Gang Enforcement Unit, as a Deputy and supervisor in the Bike and Street Crimes Unit, and has been the supervisor of an undercover felony vehicle apprehension unit for the past five years. He serves as an instructor within the agency in diversionary vehicle tactics, defensive tactics, active shooter response, and SWAT tactics.
Dennis has been a Florida SWAT Association instructor for over seven years. He instructs various sniper courses, tactical carbine, and has developed and instructed diversionary vehicle tactics. He has instructed for this organization throughout the state as well as throughout the country. Dennis has also been an International Police Technology and Management (IPTM) instructor teaching dynamic entry, methodical entry, hostage rescue, and various firearms courses in IPTM’s Basic SWAT School.
Dennis has been an active practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over five years with Gracie Barra Orlando, and continues to compete in local, state, and national tournaments. He believes strongly in physical and mental preparation, and continually seeks to strengthen and evolve in all things tactical.
MATT BUTLER
Born in Orlando, Fl. to a Deputy Sheriff and his wife, Matt was the youngest of four boys. Educated locally, he attended the University of Florida and received a B.A. in English Literature in 1992. Matt was hired by a local law enforcement agency in 1992 and worked a variety of assignments including Patrol as a Deputy and Supervisor, street crimes Bike Unit, Auto Theft, an undercover tactical unit and the Field Training Unit. He was selected to join the SWAT Team in 1996 and now currently serves as a Team Leader and is the Team’s Training Coordinator. Matt has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well as kick boxing and various self-defense methods.
Matt has been married for 15 years and has two daughters.
