Law Enforcement Proving Grounds
Committed to fostering defensive skills for real-world threats, for the guardians of public safety, and those that depend on them.
For nearly two decades, area law enforcement officers trained at the former Top Gun Range in Geauga County. In the summer of 2021, we acquired the property with a clear vision: to transform it into a premier training facility for law enforcement, firearms professionals, and vetted civilian programs.
Since then, we’ve made significant improvements to support high-quality training experiences in a safe, purpose-built environment. While the range remains closed to the general public, trusted civilian training programs — including our partners and the “A Girl & A Gun” program — continue without interruption.
What We’ve Accomplished:
-
100-yard rifle and pistol range with 18 individual shooting bays and 2 dedicated steel bays.
-
500-yard precision rifle range, featuring an elevated 20' x 24' shooting platform.
-
New 84' x 24' range house with an air-conditioned indoor classroom and a large covered pavilion that comfortably accommodates 60+ students for outdoor training and instruction.
-
Large wooded training area designed for K9 Tracking, immersive force-on-force, and scenario-based exercises.
-
Modern bathhouse with two restrooms, a shower, and deep sinks for post-training cleanup.
-
Two fully furnished guest houses with two bedrooms each for instructors, staff, or VIPs.
-
Full camper hookup stations, including electric, water, and sanitary access.
What’s Next:
-
Continued upgrades to driveways and parking infrastructure.
-
Additional shooting bays and barricade training areas.
-
Expanded vehicle-based and patrol rifle training zones.
We believe transformation is a process, not a project. With every upgrade, we aim to improve the safety, effectiveness, and comfort of the training environment. If there’s something that would enhance your experience, we welcome your feedback. It may not happen overnight, but we’ll work to build it into our future plans.
We also provide affordable, high-quality OPTA-certified firearms instructors for departments needing additional support or specialized instruction. A monthly makeup qualification session is available for officers who miss their scheduled departmental course.
Mike R.
Director
Mike's education, extensive training, and experience prepare him for his role as a Director for the Proving Grounds. Mike is a veteran officer, having worked for a local sheriff’s office and two city police departments and serving as a Detective Sergeant.
Mike worked undercover, was a squad leader on the sheriff’s office dive team, and worked on the marine patrol unit. He served as a Coldwater Drown Team diver and was a county arson task force member in Ashtabula County. Mike is an accomplished defensive tactics and weapons instructor, certified police academy instructor, a guest instructor at OPTA in London, OH, an NRA Instructor, and an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer.
Education:
-
Bachelor of Science, Kent State University