Joel Johnston
Principal – DTI Defensive Tactics Institute
Joel Johnston grew up in Southern Ontario and participated in high level athletics his entire life. He pursued a BC Athletic Scholarship at Simon Fraser University where he was a four-year letterman in Varsity Football and earned a degree in Economics.
Principal – DTI Defensive Tactics Institute
Joel Johnston grew up in Southern Ontario and participated in high level athletics his entire life. He pursued a BC Athletic Scholarship at Simon Fraser University where he was a four-year letterman in Varsity Football and earned a degree in Economics.
 Joel Johnston |
During his time at SFU, Joel worked in Event Security at The Pacific National Exhibition (Pacific Coliseum and Empire Stadium). He also worked for four years as a "Doorman" at a popular Lower Mainland Cabaret Lounge and Pub. He learned about "confrontation management" early on. He was drafted as a fullback by the Canadian Football League Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1983. He joined a major Western Canadian Police Department in 1985 and worked as a "Beat Cop" in the crime-ridden, low-rent district. |
Featured Instructor
Joel has been a featured Instructor at over a dozen International Law Enforcement Conferences across North America. He has over 30,000 hours of practical instructional experience.
SWAT Team
Joel has participated in more than 500 SWAT operations, from high-risk warrant services, to armed barricaded subjects, to hostage rescues.
Joel has been a featured Instructor at over a dozen International Law Enforcement Conferences across North America. He has over 30,000 hours of practical instructional experience.
SWAT TeamJoel has participated in more than 500 SWAT operations, from high-risk warrant services, to armed barricaded subjects, to hostage rescues.
He worked for a period of time as a Traffic Officer and then a Jailer. Joel spent many years as the Department's Control Tactics Coordinator researching, designing and implementing dozens of innovative Officer Safety, Use of Force, and Arrest & Control Tactics programs.
He was a founding member and developer of the Department's Riot Squad (Crowd Control Unit) and actively deployed with the CCU on many occasions. At the same time he served as the Founder and Chief Instructor of the Department's official Shotokan Karate Organization. Along the way he earned his third degree black belt.
He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1998 and has served in a fulltime capacity as a SWAT Team Squad Leader and Officer-in-charge. He has participated in more than 500 SWAT operations, from high-risk warrant services, to armed barricaded subjects, to hostage rescues. Joel has also conducted high-risk removals and deportations from Canada for the Federal Government and Canada's major air carrier.
Joel has been published dozens of times in numerous law enforcement magazines and journals in Canada and the US, and has been a featured Instructor at over a dozen International Law Enforcement Conferences across North America. At the same time he continues to pursue his own professional development. He is one of only several certified "Force Science Institute Analysts" in Canada, and a recent graduate of Penn State University's Less Lethal Weapons program and the LAPD's Force Investigation Division Program.
Joel has been a court-certified Subject-Matter Expert for over 15 years and has provided expert witness testimony to all levels of the Courts in Canada and at many Public Hearing processes in numerous high-profile cases.
Not just a cop, not just a martial artist, not just a court-certified subject-matter expert, not just an author, not just an educator, coach and trainer—but all of these things! Joel brings his experience and expertise to you with passion and commitment.
List of Qualifications:
He was a founding member and developer of the Department's Riot Squad (Crowd Control Unit) and actively deployed with the CCU on many occasions. At the same time he served as the Founder and Chief Instructor of the Department's official Shotokan Karate Organization. Along the way he earned his third degree black belt.
He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1998 and has served in a fulltime capacity as a SWAT Team Squad Leader and Officer-in-charge. He has participated in more than 500 SWAT operations, from high-risk warrant services, to armed barricaded subjects, to hostage rescues. Joel has also conducted high-risk removals and deportations from Canada for the Federal Government and Canada's major air carrier.
Joel has been published dozens of times in numerous law enforcement magazines and journals in Canada and the US, and has been a featured Instructor at over a dozen International Law Enforcement Conferences across North America. At the same time he continues to pursue his own professional development. He is one of only several certified "Force Science Institute Analysts" in Canada, and a recent graduate of Penn State University's Less Lethal Weapons program and the LAPD's Force Investigation Division Program.
Joel has been a court-certified Subject-Matter Expert for over 15 years and has provided expert witness testimony to all levels of the Courts in Canada and at many Public Hearing processes in numerous high-profile cases.
Not just a cop, not just a martial artist, not just a court-certified subject-matter expert, not just an author, not just an educator, coach and trainer—but all of these things! Joel brings his experience and expertise to you with passion and commitment.
List of Qualifications:
- Graduate - Simon Fraser University - BA Economics
- Sergeant - major Canadian police department - 27 year police veteran
- Third Degree Black Belt (Sandan) Japan Karate Association
- Crowd Control Unit Founder, trainer and member
- Emergency Response Team (ERT) Squad Leader (1998 - 2004)
- Emergency Response Team (ERT) Team Leader (2004 - 2005)
- Government Use of Force and Emergency Response Teams Coordinator (2005 - 2011)
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (SEB) Advanced SWAT School Graduate
- Court Certified Use of Force Subject-Matter Expert
- Certified Defensive Tactics Instructor - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Certified Force Science Analyst Force Science Institute - Minnesota State University
- Graduate - Less Lethal Weapons Program - Penn State University
- Graduate - Force Investigation Division Program - Los Angeles Police Department
- Control Tactics Instructor-Trainer Province of BC
- Certified Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT) Instructor-Trainer
- Certified Modern Warrior Police Defensive Tactics Instructor
- Former Control Tactics Coordinator - 1990-1998
- Certified Less Lethal Weapons Instructor - National Tactical Officer's Association (NTOA)
- Certified BC Provincial Firearms Instructor
- Certified Conducted Energy Weapons Instructor
- Certified Sub-Machine Gun Instructor (Singleton International)
- Certified Tactical Firearms Instructor-Trainer (PPCT)
- Certified Critical Incident Field Commander
- Certified Verbal Judo Instructor
- Certified Violent Patient Management Instructor-Trainer (PPCT)
- Best Defense Women's Assault Prevention Instructor-Trainer
- Certified Sexual Harassment, Assault & Rape Prevention Instructor-Trainer
- Instructor to the International Association of Women Police (IAWP)
- Instructor to the Commission for Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Conference
- Instructor to the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers (ASLET)
- Instructor to the Canadian Use of Force Trainer's Conference
- Instructor to the PPCT International Use of Force Training Conference
- Instructor to the International Association of Women Police Training Conference
- Published Author Blue Line Magazine, RCMP Gazette, Police Magazine, The Tactical Edge
- Over 30,000 hours of practical Instructional experience