The 2025 Southeast Law Enforcement Handgun Classic
- Robert Bodron
- May 1
- 3 min read
The countdown to the 2026 Southeast Law Enforcement Handgun Classic has begun. Last year, this match was the highlight of my shooting year, and one of the clearest examples I’ve seen of what law enforcement firearms training could look like if we did it right.
There is a strong and growing group of cops that shoot competitions in and around Knoxville, Tennessee, and they teamed up to put on one heck of a match.
I’ve been shooting competitions in one form or another since I was ten years old, and I’ve credited my competitive shooting experience with survival in two real armed encounters. I’ve talked until I was blue in the face about the need to get more cops competing, but I’m usually met with some form of, “it will get you killed in the streets.” This, of course, is utter nonsense, but the excuse is so pervasive in law enforcement culture that I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard it.
So last year, when I saw the Southeast Law Enforcement Handgun Classic pop up, I signed up immediately and made plans to travel from Georgia to Tennessee for the match.
I knew they were using hit-factor scoring similar to USPSA, but beyond that, I didn’t know what to expect.
When I arrived at the match, I was taken aback. You could hear steel ringing across the range before you even checked in. Normally, cop competitions aren’t great. The stages are unimaginative, sometimes there are unnecessary rules added, and turnout is usually limited. This match was different.
As soon as I set foot on the range, it felt like a major match. Each stage was staffed by a full team. Competitors didn’t have to paste, score, or run the timer. There was a UTV ferrying shooters across the range, and there was even a vendor area.
It felt like a state or area championship, and it was sold out with a waiting list. More impressively, it sold out almost immediately. The match ran smoothly, the stages were well built, and everyone I saw had a smile on their face. This was one of the best matches I’ve shot in nearly three decades of competition.
The match wasn’t just well run. It was well designed.
One of the biggest barriers to entry into competition shooting is stage complexity. Shooters with limited experience often perform far below their actual shooting ability because planning complex stages is a skill of its own.
The team at Oak Ridge avoided that. Stages were straightforward, with options, but without unnecessary complexity or memory traps. This was one of the few matches I’ve seen where shooting skill determined the outcome more than stage memorization. It was a refreshing opportunity to measure shooters against each other based on actual performance. Check out video of the stages here:
Last year’s match hosted 182 competitors, 116 of whom were active or retired law enforcement. I saw shooters from all over the country, including several law enforcement shooting teams, something we don’t see much of in Georgia.
The overall match winner was a law enforcement officer and grand master who shot 95 percent of available points. That matters. A law enforcement officer winning a match like this matters. In fact, law enforcement officers took four of the top ten spots.
What I didn’t expect was how quickly this match would start influencing the broader law enforcement shooting culture.
Almost immediately, I started seeing advertisements for a Southwest Law Enforcement Handgun Classic, which drew another 150 shooters. I’ve also noticed a spike in law enforcement participation at local matches around Atlanta.
It appears that the visibility of these matches is starting to shift perception. More officers are embracing competition, and that will improve readiness. The challenges presented in competition are often more complex and demanding than what most officers experience during in-service range training.
Next month, I’ll travel back to Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association for the second Southeast Law Enforcement Handgun Classic. This year, I’m staying the weekend and working the match alongside other officers.
I hope to see these matches continue to grow and expand. Maybe even a series of smaller state matches across the country. If they do, they will change the way law enforcement approaches firearms training. And that change is long overdue.
Robert - Georgia LEO
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