Our Instructors

Our Instructors offer a wealth of experience in the fields of Law Enforcement, Public Safety, Corrections, and Private Business Safety Management and seek to partner with organizations who value ongoing training and growth opportunities.

The ability of your staff to perform at a consistently high level rests upon their opportunity for continuous training that can be effectively utilized in practical applications. We believe increased safety, awareness, and service lies in the ability of an organization to offer superior training opportunities. Let us partner with you to train the best.

Kurt Sinks

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor Kurt Sinks is the founder and CEO of Lion Shield, LLC. He has served for 27 years in Law Enforcement and Community Corrections. He currently serves with the Lafayette Police Department in Lafayette, IN. He has served as a member of the Patrol Division, as a Field Training Officer, Department Training Instructor, as a 4-year member of the Street Crimes Unit, and he is currently assigned to the Investigations Division as a Detective with the Special Victims Unit. Mr. Sinks has attended hundreds of hours of specialized training and has been an Instructor with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy for 24 years. He has received several awards for his performance in the field of Law Enforcement and Corrections. Mr. Sinks has been a guest lecturer at several Universities around the State of Indiana over the past 20 years. He served as the Deputy Director and Training Coordinator for Community Corrections prior to entering into Law Enforcement. In 2002 he was selected to receive the “Indiana Program Supervisor of the Year” award and he received a “Leadership Resolution” for “Outstanding Patriotism to the United States of America” which he was selected to receive from former Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon. Mr. Sinks is a former recipient of the American Red Cross “Heroism Award”. He was also presented with an award from the New York Police Department after serving as a member of the N.Y.P.D. Law Enforcement Rescue and Recovery Team following the terrorist attacks in New York on 9/11. In 2023, Mr. Sinks was named the Lafayette Police Department’s “Detective MVP.”

Dwight Graves

Lion Shield, LLC Master Instructor Dwight Graves retired in 2019 after serving for 35 years with the Indiana Department of Corrections. During his time with the Department of Corrections, Mr. Graves served as the Staff Development and Training Academy Curriculum Design Specialist, as well as, the Supervisor of Program Development. Mr. Graves has extensive management and programs training from the Department of Corrections and served as Master Trainer of Programs. He has conducted classroom training for agency staff, researched, developed and implemented new curriculum and served as a liaison to federal and state agencies for training related subjects. Mr. Graves is the author of the Field Officer Training Academy. In his free time, he enjoys participating in Taekwondo where he has earned the honor of being a third degree black belt.

Mike Sinks

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor Mike Sinks is also the Vice President of Operations. He retired in 2015 after serving for 45 years in Law Enforcement & Public Safety in the State of Indiana. He is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and was also certified as a Probation Officer by the Indiana Judicial Center. Mr. Sinks served as a Police Officer for the Newton County Sheriff’s Department as a Patrol Deputy and also as an EMT. He also served as a Sheriff’s Deputy for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. He served as a Field Training Officer and was later promoted to the rank of Patrol Sergeant. Mr. Sinks was a Probation Officer with the Jasper County Probation Department for 35 years, serving as the Chief Probation Officer for the final 16 years of his career. He served two 3 year terms on the Indiana Probation Officer Advisory Board in Indianapolis, IN. In 2015, he was awarded the prestigious “Sagamore of the Wabash” Award by former Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

Terry Risner

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor Terry Risner retired as the Sheriff of Jasper County, IN in 2019 after serving as Sheriff for 8 years. He served as a Law Enforcement Officer for 39 years and also served his country for 3 years as a member of the United Stated Army where he served in the Military Police Corps. He is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy where he was a Certified Instructor for 33 years. He instructed at ILEA as a Generalist Instructor and Firearms Instructor, and also served for 13 years as a Patrol Carbine Instructor. Throughout his Law Enforcement career Sheriff Risner served as a member of the Patrol Division, Sergeant, Captain, Chief Deputy, and Sheriff. During that time, he was also the Tactical Team Leader for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and a Certified Field Training Officer. He has completed numerous leadership training certifications and previously served as an instructor through the Thunder Ranch in Texas as an Adjunct Firearms Instructor. Sheriff Risner is also certified as an instructor in Patrol Rifle, Sniper-Counter Sniper, Patrol Shotgun, and Submachine gun. He has also completed training with the DEA Narcotics Division in Investigations.

Mike Brown

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor Mike Brown served in law enforcement for 35 years. Mr. Brown retired from the Lafayette Police Department in 2024. Before retiring from LPD, he served as the Lieutenant of Administrative Services, Patrol Lieutenant, Sergeant of Community Outreach, Patrol Sergeant, and as a Patrol Officer, in addition to serving for 15 years as a member of the SWAT team. Prior to the Lafayette Police Department, Mr. Brown was a Patrol Officer for the City of Oceanside, California. He served his Country, spending 10 years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marines, Mr. Brown was a Military Police officer and a Criminal Investigator. During his time as a Criminal Investigator and Hostage/Crisis Negotiator, Mr. Brown was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for successfully negotiating an armed encounter to a peaceful resolution. Mr. Brown served as a law enforcement Instructor for over two decades. He previously held certifications as an Instructor through the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and obtained instructor certifications in Firearms (pistol, rifle, shotgun), Physical Tactics, and Taser ECW.

Rich Davies

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor Rich Davies retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after 23 years of service. As a Special Agent for the FBI, Mr. Davies primarily worked in small resident agencies in Indiana and Wisconsin. While working in the small resident agencies he worked on violent crime, drug, and gang cases. Mr. Davies also served on multiple drug, gang, violent crime and fugitive task forces. He served as a member of the SWAT team for 10 years, was a firearms instructor, tactical instructor, and completed the FBI’s instructor development course. Mr. Davies was also a member of the Special Operations Team where he served as Team Leader. Prior to the FBI Mr. Davies served as a Law Enforcement Specialist for 6 years with the Indiana Air National Guard.

Paul Kubon

Lion Shield, LLC Instructor, Paul Kubon has served for over ten years in Law Enforcement as a Police Officer and Criminal Intelligence Analyst. He was a 2001 graduate of St. Joseph’s College with a BS in Criminal Justice and a 2002 graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Mr. Kubon is the Criminal Intelligence Analyst with the Lafayette Police Department and also served in the same role with the Indiana State Police at the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center. He was instrumental in creating a partnership between the Lafayette Police Department and the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center and currently serves both agencies. Mr. Kubon previously spent time investigating crimes against children for the Indiana Department of Child Services. Prior to entering into Law Enforcement, he spent 14 years working in professional Baseball as both a Coach and Scout. Mr. Kubon was a member of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies organization.