Lethal Encounter LLC
www.lethalencounter.com
It wasn’t long into life that Cleo Jackson Jr. realized his calling. Now, that calling is being passed on to others, who apparently are eager to accept it, based on some recent news concerning his company, Lethal Encounter LLC.
“When I was 6 years old, I discovered my love for crime fighting,” he said. “Batman and Robin, Adam 12, Dragnet and Hawaii Five-0 were my favorites and shaped my life forever. I had found my calling.
“After my rich experience with the United States Marine Corps and law enforcement, I found that training was the key to success.”
So he started Lethal Encounter. The company provides active shooter response training for officers and tactical emergency medicine services, and tactical combat casualty care for EMS professionals, as well as a course required for obtaining a license to carry handguns.
“I realized early on that the key to success was high-speed training,” Jackson said.
The vision was birthed in 1982 while he was working in law enforcement.
“I wrote my plans on a napkin one evening,” he said. “The vision would finally come to fruition in 2006, when I began providing tactical firearms training.”
Jackson, born and raised in Dallas, has over 34 years of combined military and law enforcement experience. His career includes serving in the Marines, along with working for the Dallas Security Division, Dallas Police Department, Federal Reserve Law Enforcement and Colombia Healthcare Systems. He is also an expert adviser in security consulting and risk management, is an experienced National Rifle Association instructor, and is an expert in firearm education, personal protection and executive protection.
“I am totally immersed in Lethal Encounter. It is in every corpuscle of my blood and in every breath I breathe,” Jackson said.
Lethal Encounter began as an on-site training program, but moved into its own office space last February. Since then it has grown so much it is having to significantly expand its headquarters and training academy in Arlington Oaks Office Park.
Lethal Encounter has a core team of four and over 40 associates.
“Our clients include Hairston Global Protective Service, Yunique Security, Shadow Protective Services and Strike Universal Integrated Protective Services, to name a few,” Jackson said.
“We have also provided active shooter, executive protection, license to carry and handgun safety instruction to well-known international faith-based institutions, as well as international entertainers from music to film to comedy,” he said.
“Lethal Encounter has been growing exponentially. We were fortunate enough to have an office suite that could accommodate the tenant’s immediate needs,” said Judy Nitzinger, vice-president of Coldwell Banker Commercial Advisors DFW.
Lethal Encounter has signed a renewal and expansion for over 3,600 square feet, adding an extra 1,825 square feet of operating space to almost double its size. It will relocate from 331 Osler St. in Arlington as soon as renovations are completed on the new office space, which is being retrofitted with a reception area, administration space and a much larger classroom for tactical and handgun training courses.
Jackson said given today’s climate, the kind of training his company provides is more important than ever.
“First and foremost, every citizen should exercise their right to defend themselves in the event of an actual emergency. Because of today’s predators, there is a new paradigm in personal defense,” he said.
Jackson said there are no longer “good” criminals, like in the 1960s and 1970s, for example. He said that most criminals today want more than a victim’s wallet, and the situation is more complicated than contacting local law enforcement and filing a report.
“Today, they want to make you suffer. They want your property, all of your possessions, and their desire is to inflict pain,” he said of today’s criminals. “It’s time to change the game in personal defense. We longer have to be willing victims. We can now be well-trained civilians.
“While we are not experts in the application of violence, with proper training we can be proficient in safe firearms handling and weaponless self defense. We train to survive.”
Matt Zavadsky, chief strategic integration officer for MedStar Mobile Healthcare, said, “I don’t think that training should ever stop. People need to be prepared at all times.”
Nitzinger agreed that incidents such as the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas have likely contributed to the success of the company.
“They’ve doubled in size since January, and I think it might have a lot to do with what’s going on in society,” she said. “People want to feel safe.”
Learn to ‘Stop the Bleed’
In the wake of the Oct. 1 mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival that killed 58 and wounded more than 500, MedStar Mobile Healthcare wants everyone to learn how to “Stop the Bleed.”
MedStar is offering a free B-Con training course on Nov. 4 from 9-11 a.m. at its offices at 2900 Alta Mere Dr. in Fort Worth.
“As much as we’d like people to know CPR, we’d like to have bystanders ready to help stop bleeding,” said Matt Zavadsky, MedStar’s chief strategic integration officer.
The course is being offered through the American College of Surgeons, in cooperation with the National Association of EMTs.
The course was created because massive bleeding from any cause, but particularly from events involving gunfire or explosives where a professional response is delayed, can result in death.
Much like being taught CPR, attendees will learn proper ways to control bleeding, including how to use their hands, dressings and tourniquets. Victims can die quickly, often within five to 10 minutes, if bleeding is not controlled.
The class is limited to 40 participants. To register, visit http://www.medstar911.org/
– Rick Mauch