QUESTIONS?
Please contact Matt Nelson at mnelson@ci.richland.wa.us or 509-578-9414.
24 Hour Blocks
Training Location
Richland Police Department Range Facility
3230 Twin Bridges Rd.
Richland, WA 99352
Course Description
Snipercraft Northwest will be teaming up with Modern Day Sniper at the 2026 WSTOA conference. Snipers will be able to attend the vendor show/de-briefs on Monday. Then, MDS will be doing a day of shooting instruction on alternate/adaptive shooting positions on Tuesday. We will then run the annual 2-day WSTOA Sniper competition on Wednesday/Thursday. Again, prizes will be given to the top shooters!
The competition will consist of 8 sniper events/courses of fire over the 2 days (4 courses of fire each day). There will be points assigned to each target/course of fire. At the end of the 2 days the point totals will be added up and there will be prizes awarded for the top 4 shooters in the competition.
Although this is a competition, the focus will be on training. All courses of fire will come from a variant of a police sniper shooting that has taken place by a police sniper somewhere in the country.
Courses of fire will take place in the range of 50-500 yards (Rangefinders will be allowed)
Bring your gear with you, there will be an equipment check prior to the start of the competition. Those without the required equipment will not be allowed to compete.
There will be no warmups or sight-ins so come with your rifle zeroed and ready to shoot!
This event is restricted to active-duty Law Enforcement Snipers.
If you have any questions, please feel to contact Mike Bertucci at mike@snipercraftnw.com.
Required Equipment
- Department issued sniper rifle with optic
- 300 rounds of ammo
- Shooting Tripod
- Gas Mask
- Call out uniform
- Pistol belt or holster and Pistol w/10 rounds of pistol ammo
Instructor Bio
Mike Bertucci (Co-Owner/Lead Trainer)
Mike was born and raised in Washington State. He grew up and spent most of his life in the Northwest. After serving in the United States Air Force, he later went on to get his bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice from Central Washington University.
Mike worked in law enforcement as a police officer for 25 years. During his career in law enforcement Mike served in the role of patrol officer, field training officer, detective, union president, patrol supervisor, narcotics supervisor and special operations supervisor. In addition to his normal police duties, he spent 21 years assigned to the Valley SWAT team up in the Northwest as a police sniper. During his time on the team as a Sniper Team Leader, he planned and participated in over 1,000 sniper missions.
Mike is currently the Washington State Tactical Officer’s Association (WSTOA) Sniper Advisor, as well as the American Sniper Association (ASA) region 5 representative for the Northwest (AK, ID, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA, WY). He has also been the lead instructor for past Washington State basic and advanced sniper schools and is an adjunct instructor for Derrick Bartlett (ASA President) and his sniper training company (Snipercraft) out of Florida.
Training Location
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Street
Kennewick, WA 99336
Course Description
This course is aimed at investigators who work with SWAT teams to locate and arrest high-risk suspects. The landscape of cellular pings and surveillance is rapidly evolving. In today’s environment, obtaining location pings with an accuracy of 5 to 10 meters has become increasingly uncommon. As a result, it is critical for investigators and task forces to thoroughly analyze historical cell record data from providers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T before initiating operations. Proper pre-operational analysis significantly enhances the likelihood of successfully locating targets without the use of confidential informants.
This three-day, thirty-hour course introduces students to the fundamentals of analyzing historical cell site data prior to field deployment. Working collaboratively, participants will examine a suspect’s historical records using Castviz (which must be installed on participants’ laptops prior to the session). Students will also learn the basics of physical surveillance through lesson plans, case studies, and live reps in the field.
The course is designed to spend approximately thirty percent in the classroom and seventy percent out in the field. Each scenario is a violent crime case that will not only show teams how to latch onto the suspect, but how to mentally think about developing a violent crime case as they covertly follow targets.
Class will be capped at 20 students.
Required Equipment
- Laptop With CastViz installed ahead of time (Free from FBI at Castviz.com)
- Cell phone with Itak / Atak (Server link will be provided prior)
- WhatsApp / Zello on phone
- UC car (two to a car)
Instructor Bios
Daniel Yagi has eighteen (18) years of law enforcement experience. He has conducted thousands of hours of physical surveillance around the country. He has authored hundreds of warrants regarding violent crime and has directly been involved in the case development and prosecutions of homicides, robbery crew investigations, kidnappings, and high-level narcotic cases. He is a full-time Detective with one of the busiest cities in the State of Washington.
Erin Lai has ten years of law enforcement experience and has spent more than half of her career so far in the Special Investigations Unit where she gained extensive experience in surveillance, online investigations, and undercover operations. She has participated in the successful investigation and apprehension of numerous violent criminals, including several out-of-state missions that involved undercover operations, physical surveillance, and arrests. Erin has authored over one hundred warrants directly related to homicide investigations and has a background in investigating narcotic cases, human trafficking, and more.
Training Location
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Street
Kennewick, WA 99336
Course Description
This course is aimed at SWAT officers who assist other investigative units with locating and arresting high-risk suspects.
As our industry continues to diligently mitigate risk to officers and citizens, SWAT Teams are being tasked with seeking improved methods to performing historically dangerous operations. Covert surveillance capabilities can be a key component to the success of non-typical SWAT missions and help increase the viability of SWAT officers for use by their agencies in a wider spectrum of tasks. Improved surveillance techniques will establish avenues for increased readiness and threat mitigation in operational areas such as; Narcotics Related Warrants and Arrests, Fugitive Apprehension and Dignitary Protection. This course will focus on the basic principles of surveillance techniques and working to incorporate those principles into SWAT operations. There will be 8 hours dedicated to Vehicle Take Down and Assault operations. The curriculum is geared toward the SWAT Team member with little exposure to covert surveillance techniques, however all Commissioned LEOs and U.S. military personnel are welcome.
The 24-hour course will be a combination of classroom instruction and practical field exercises.
Topics of instruction include:
- Vehicle Take Away and Surveillance
- Vehicle Takedown Coordination/Techniques
- Vehicle Assaults
- Surveillance on Foot
- Covert Arrest Team Tactics
- Static Surveillance
- Counter-Surveillance Considerations
- Integrating with and Supplementing Investigative Units
Required Equipment
- UC or unmarked vehicle (if available)
- Plains Clothes
Optional Equipment
- Computer
- Vehicle GPS
- Computer
- Camera
- Binocular
Instructor Bio
Chris Munn works for the Tacoma Police Department and is a Sergeant. Chris was previously assigned to the Special Investigations unit, which is a plain clothes narcotics/surveillance unit. In that capacity, Chris and his unit performed surveillance on and arrested numerous violent suspects. He is also an assistant team leader on the Tacoma Police Department SWAT team.
36 HOUR Block
Training Location
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Street – Classroom E
Kennewick, WA 99336
Course Description
WSTOA is offering Advanced SWAT at the 2026 Conference. This course will cover the following topics – Linear Assaults, Vehicle Assault / Takedown, Night Vision systems, Hostage Rescue Planning, Team Leader / Assistant Team Leader roles and responsibilities. There will be classroom presentations and practical application for all topics listed.
Required Equipment
- Helmet
- Eye protection and Simunition Mask
- Plate carrier or Heavy Vest (Call out vest)
- Team training uniform
- Gloves
- Rifle with blue bolt or “simunition only” rifle
- Simunition Pistol
- 500 rounds of rifle simuniton
- 100 rounds of pistol simunition
- Mechanical breaching tools (whatever your team uses)
- Night vision goggle or monocular IR laser for rifle (if issued – not required)
Instructor
The course will be taught by WSTOA’s instructor cadre.
40 Hour Block
Training Location
Three Rivers Convention Center
7016 W Grandridge Street
Kennewick, WA 99336
Course Description
**THIS INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION EXPIRES FOUR YEARS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATION COURSE. **
The Less Lethal Impact Projectiles Instructor Course is a train the trainer course designed to familiarize attendees with less lethal weapons, impact munitions and deployment tactics. Topics to be covered include instructor development techniques, less lethal force philosophy, case law, policy issues, technology overview, deployment tactics, product demonstrations, and less lethal practical scenarios.
The Flash Sound Diversionary Device Instructor Course is a train the trainer course designed to familiarize attendees with flash sound diversionary devices (FSDD). Topics to be covered include history of diversionary devices, definitions, and nomenclature, legal aspects of diversionary devices, policy issues, preparation and deployment of diversionary devices, and practical application.
The Chemical Agent Instructor Course is a train the trainer course designed to familiarize attendees with chemical munitions. Topics to be covered include history, products and characteristics, delivery systems, hazards, decontamination, gas masks, and general tactics as they relate to the use of chemical agents.
NOTICE
The information necessary to present instruction regarding less lethal munitions, flash sound diversionary devices, and chemical agents is contained within the curricula of this course. The ability to teach others and correctly convey the course content is an individual skill. Completing this NTOA course of instruction is not an endorsement of any individuals teaching skill or experience. Instructors should ensure that they have met the necessary requirements to instruct the subject matter as required by local or state mandates. Further, instructors should be approved to teach the materials by their agency head or designee.
Required Equipment
- Eye and ear protection.
- Gloves
- Long sleeve shirt or battle top
Instructor
NTOA cadre.