Sheriff (Ret.) Ken Campbell has over 35 years of experience at the Boone County Indiana Sheriff’s Office in Central Indiana and retired from the force in 2014. When he was on active service, his duties included: Special Response Team (SWAT) Team Commander, K-9 Handler, Crash Reconstructionist, Hazardous Materials Technician, Reserve Unit Commander, Shift Supervisor, Enforcement Division Captain, Firearms Instructor and Armorer, and two terms as the elected Sheriff.
Today, however, Sheriff Campbell is better-known as the CEO of Gunsite, a pre-eminent firearms training facility located in Paulden, AZ. Gunsite was originally founded in 1976 as the American Pistol Institute by Col. Jeff Cooper, a legendary figure in American gun culture. Col. Cooper’s influence on training, competition and the firearms industry cannot be overstated, and Gunsite is where it all began.
Today, Gunsite trains armed citizens as well as law enforcement and military personnel at the original facility in Paulden, AZ, as well as offsite classes at facilities across the country. The classes offered range by Gunsite range from the foundational 250 Pistol class to classes in defensive carbine and shotgun, precision rifle and many, many more, all taught by top-level instructors.
As the worlds of practical pistol competition and modern defensive firearm training can both trace their roots back to Col. Cooper and Gunsite, that's why we’re talking with Sheriff Campbell about Col. Cooper’s legacy and how Gunsite is growing and changing as American gun culture changes.
