Task Force 70 Trains Rural Police Officers

The nonprofit provides low-cost instruction to help rural departments handle complex threats and limited budgets.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Wide shot of a forested training range at golden hour with wooden barricades and distant silhouettes of police officers. — Task Force 70 is providing specialized marksmanship and tactical training to rural police departments in Tennessee, helping agencies with limited budgets manage complex community threats. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Task Force 70, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides specialized training to rural police departments that typically employ 10 officers or fewer. The organization offers coursework in marksmanship, constitutional judgment, and tactical skills to departments often constrained by small budgets.

Why it matters

Many rural police agencies lack the funds to cover travel or training expenses, leaving officers with limited access to specialized resources. This initiative bridges that gap by providing professional instruction to departments serving average populations of 10,000 residents.

Task Force 70 supports agencies where officers earn an average wage of $17 per hour. The group plans to complete a 17-acre facility in Humphreys County, Tennessee, by summer 2027 to expand capacity.

The players

Task Force 70

This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focuses on providing advanced, low-cost training to rural law enforcement agencies across the United States.

Hillsdale College

This private liberal arts college provides certification for the constitutional judgment training module used by the task force.

John Chapman

He is an experienced law enforcement figure who began his professional training career during the early 1990s.

The details

Instructors with at least 20 years of experience provide training via virtual meetings and hands-on sessions. The curriculum includes tactical breaching, emergency medicine, and constitutional judgment modules certified by Hillsdale College.

John Chapman began his law enforcement training career in the early 1990s.
The 17-acre training facility in Humphreys County is scheduled for completion by summer 2027.

Legal Context

This training initiative addresses the gap between baseline state certification standards and the complex tactical requirements faced by small-town departments. It follows a trend of private entities supplementing public training in states where rural agencies often struggle to meet modern enforcement demands.

By providing advanced tactical and constitutional training to local rural police, the organization aims to improve the quality of public safety services in small communities. Residents in these areas may benefit from more highly skilled officers during emergency situations.

The takeaway

Rural departments with small rosters face unique challenges that require creative solutions for professional development. Leveraging nonprofit partnerships allows these agencies to maintain high standards of service despite significant fiscal limitations.