ROUND ROCK, Texas – April 28, 2024 – The Texas Tactical Police Officers Association recently held its 40th annual state conference; title sponsored this year by Sons of Liberty Gun Works. The conference was held over five days at the Kalahari Resort in central Texas, with more than 800 officers attending from tactical teams across multiple states. This was a 200-person increase from the previous year.
Wednesday of the conference included a Range Day, sponsored by Staccato. Approximately 45 vendors brought their firearms and tactical equipment for demonstration and testing by attendees. The range day included a side match competition benefiting the foundation recently created by the wife of fallen Austin Police officer Jorge Pastore, who was killed during a hostage rescue operation in November 2023. Over $4,000 was raised by officers for the foundation, and Staccato donated a pistol for the competition that was given to the winner.
Thursday and Friday were devoted to a vendor show inside the Kalahari Resort, primarily sponsored by First Spear. Two hundred vendor businesses attended the trade show, with more than 20 registering as Platinum Sponsors. TTPOA partnered with several vendors for frequent giveaway contests during the show. Local walk-in traffic boosted the vendor show attendance to over 1000. This was the second year in a row that the TTPOA sold out vendor space for the conference, even with an expanded footprint from the previous year. The TTPOA also hosted several operational debriefs at the resort from different agencies who had experienced unique or high-profile tactical situations over the previous year. Friday eveningat the conference banquet, over $70,000 in training and firearms donated by vendors were given away during a raffle fundraiser for the Association.
The 800 attendees spent Saturday and Sunday participating in 56 different classes to choose from, held at 12 different ranges and facilities across the Austin area. TTPOA hosted several nationally renowned firearms and tactics instructors as well as SWAT instructors from across Texas; focusing on areas of rifle and pistol shooting, team CQB tactics, night vision work, long-range shooting, combatives, emotional and psychological well-being, K9 encounters, less-lethal devices, and operational planning. Attendees received TCOLE credit for the classes they attended.
Dan Colasanto, TTPOA President, had high praise for the record-setting event and looked forward to future years: “At this year’s Conference we broke a record for attendance. Our attendance numbers have been steadily increasing over the last few years and we anticipate 1000 attendees in the future. We continue to provide top notch instruction from some of the best instructors in the nation. Fortunately, we are able to do this at an affordable price and will continue to do so. Future events will include our annual SWAT Competition as well as a Sniper competition. Hope to see you at one or all of these events.”
Andy Adkins, TTPOA Vendor coordinator, had specific thanks for all the conference vendors: “Our Vendors are amazing and make our show first class; as well as creating the avenue for TTPOA to accomplish its primary mission to put quality training in the grasp of law enforcement officers from around the world. I want to emphasize my sincere thanks to SOLGW as our Title Sponsor for the entire Conference; as well as Staccato, FirstSpear, and 5.11 Tactical for unbelievable support as well. It’s always one of the times of the year I look forward to the most. Our vendors do a phenomenal job of bringing the most innovative gear and products to put in the hands of officers from around the country. The products created, released, and displayed at our show make it clear that these companies are dedicated to the men and women serving their communities and their objective of making their hometowns a better place to be. So to our Vendors, on behalf of the TTPOA and its membership, THANK YOU!!! To the LEOs and active USMIL folks thinking about checking us out next year, you won’t be disappointed!!!”
The TTPOA has also announced they have signed a five-year contract with Kalahari Resorts to hold the annual conference at their Austin-area resort for the next five years, through 2029. With future construction plans underway for Kalahari conference floor space and hotel capacity, TTPOA anticipates being able to accommodate more vendors and conference attendees at the Round Rock Kalahari.
Registration is currently open for the annual TTPOA SWAT Competition, to be hosted this year by the Harris County Sheriff’s Department from October 2 – October 6 in Harris County, Texas. Last year’s competition hosted 36 teams, with several from out of state. Interested competitors can find more info at ttpoa.org. The SWAT competition will also be open to any interested vendors for a two-day vendor show at the competition facilities.
Interested vendors for the competition or next year’s conference can contact Andy Adkins at andy.adkins@ttpoa.org.
For complete media coverage of this year’s conference, check out TTPOA’s Instagram at www.instagram.com/ttpoa .
