Administration

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce that we will continue to offer training for citizens. We are proud to be one of the few law enforcement agencies in the country that allow citizens to train alongside military and law enforcement.

Our citizens’ classes, Principles of the Defensive Handgun, will be offered on the following dates. Please contact Madyson Portish at mportish@co.boone.in.us with any questions. Once you are signed up, reporting instructions will be emailed to you 2-3 weeks before the class. In addition, after receiving so many requests, we are adding an Advanced Principles of the Defensive Handgun course. Sign up early, it will fill up fast!

April 25-26, 2026 (Co-ed)

May 30-31, 2026 (Advanced)

June 27-28, 2026 (Ladies Only)

August 29-30, 2026 (Co-ed)

September 19-20, 2026 (Co-ed)

 

To register for Principles of the Defensive Handgun, please go to https://fs17.formsite.com/mbeard/PrinciplesDefensiveHand/index.html.

*Most of the 2025 classes were full with waiting lists. Sign up early!

You can also register for all classes at learn more information about each one at https://www.boonecountyindianasheriff.com/divisions/administration/training/.

Information on the courses is below.

 

 

 

 

 

Principles of the Defensive Handgun

Price: $200

 

April 25-26, 2026 (Co-ed)

June 27-28, 2026 (Ladies Only)

August 29-30, 2026 (Co-ed)

September 19-20, 2026 (Co-ed)

 

Course Description:

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is offering a 16 hour “Principles of the Defensive Handgun” course to qualified applicants in 2026.  It will be held at the Boone County Sheriff Firearms Range in Lebanon, IN.  In the past, we have had many requests for a ladies only class. Due to these requests, we are offering a “Ladies Only Principles of the Defensive Handgun” course. There is no difference in the curriculum.  It is merely limited to ladies only. 

A small .25 or .22 or .32 caliber pistol is NOT permitted for this course.  They inhibit the training and learning process.

This course is designed for the novice to the experienced male or female firearms owner.  The two-day course instructs the student in Gun handling, Marksmanship, and most importantly, Mindset.  It is instructed by Major Brian Stevenson, of the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, and staff.  Stevenson is the department’s Senior Range Master, a guest Firearms Instructor at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, and former Commander of the Boone County Special Response Team, a multi-agency “SWAT” team. Stevenson has been an Indiana Law Enforcement Academy certified firearms instructor for 28 years and has been teaching this curriculum for many of those years.

Requirements:

Eye and hearing protection, a suitable pistol with at least two magazines, a belt holster, approximately 350 rounds of ammunition, and tuition of $200, due at registration.  (As there is no fiscal impact on the Department for the course, all costs relating to the course must come from the student tuitions.)

There will be a 12-student minimum and a 24-student maximum for all Principles of Defensive Handgun classes.

For all Full-Time Boone County Employees and all Local (within Boone County) Law Enforcement Officers there will be no charge for this course.

 

Advanced Principles of the Defensive Handgun

Price: $200

 

May 30-31, 2026

 

Course Description:

 

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is offering a 16 hour “Advanced Principles of the Defensive Handgun” course to qualified applicants in 2026.  It will be held at the Boone County Sheriff Firearms Range in Lebanon, IN. 

 

The first portion of the course will be reviewing drills from the standard course. From there, new drills will be introduced, including shooting on the move, shooting from kneeling and prone, distance shooting, one hand shooting (both strong side and support side), and more.

 

Requirements:

Eye and hearing protection, a suitable pistol with at least two magazines, a belt holster, approximately 400 rounds of ammunition, and tuition of $200, due at registration. (As there is no fiscal impact on the Department for the course, all costs relating to the course must come from the student tuitions.)

There will be a 12-student minimum and a 24-student maximum for all Principles of Defensive Handgun classes.

For all Full-Time Boone County Employees and all Local (within Boone County) Law Enforcement Officers there will be no charge for this course.

Prerequisites:

 

Students must have successfully completed Principles of the Defensive Handgun to be eligible for the advanced class.

 

Other:

 

You must be able to walk without issues, get to a kneeling and prone position without issues, and get back to a standing position without issues.