Joseph E. Olson

Joseph E. Olson is the President of the American Association of Certified Firearms Instructors, an organization dedicated to training civilians not only on the law and technicalities of carrying a handgun for personal protection, but on strategies and tactics for avoiding any necessity of the use of a handgun for personal protection. He holds Counselor, Certifier, and Instructor ratings from AACFI. Olson is a Professor of Law at Hamline University, as well as a longtime political activist involved in 2nd Amendment issues. He is founder and President of Concealed Carry Reform, NOW! and a former national Board member of the National Rifle Association. A former federal prosecutor and experienced defense counsel, he's licensed to practice law in Minnesota and California. In addition to being a NRA Certified Firearms Instructor since 1985, Olson is a graduate of the Lethal Force Institute in Concord, NH [the Judicious Use of Deadly Force course, the Lethal Threat Management for Civilians course, and the LFI Refresher course]; the Gunsite Training Center in Paulden, AZ [the Tactical Pistol course]; the Thunder Ranch Training Center in XXX, Texas [the Urban Rifle course]; the Chapman Academy in Columbia, MO [the Advanced Pistolcraft course]; the Urban Firearms Institute in Mesa, AZ [the Arizona Concealed Carry Course]; and Armed and Safe, Inc. of Reno, NV [the Nevada Concealed Carry Course]. He has been issued carry permits in Arizona, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Washington state.