Get to Know Guardian
We share decades of hands-on experience to help your officers excel.
Here to Protect
It’s a sobering memory—one that Kevin Cronister carries with him.
“I’ve watched hundreds of ‘use of force’ videos where officers failed to perform under stress,” he says. “Failure to teach your officers a proper response under stress is the ultimate example of law enforcement failure.”
That failure is exactly what Guardian Training Solutions was built to prevent.
Rather than criticize or place blame, Cronister saw an opportunity: to improve outcomes through training, practice, and preparation. Guardian Training Solutions is rooted in a simple belief—that better-trained officers save lives, protect communities, and make it home safely themselves.
Cronister and the other instructors behind Guardian Training Solutions are active members of law enforcement. Yet they devote time beyond the badge to teach life-saving skills. Their courses are designed not only to sharpen tactical response but to strengthen decision-making under pressure—when it matters most.
Meet Our Team
Kevin Cronister
Kevin Cronister is a 15-year law enforcement veteran. He currently serves as a Detective with the Crimes Against Children Task Force in the Kansas City Metro Area. He’s also an Assistant Squad Leader, as well as a Ballistic Shield Operator and Firearms Instructor for SWAT.
Kevin earned his Master’s Degree in forensic psychology and holds numerous instructor certifications, such as defensive tactics, active shooter response, and firearms. He obtained his brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from UFC veteran Trey Ogden at Marathon MMA in Overland Park, Kansas.
Justin Morris
Justin Morris served as a law enforcement officer for 13 years. He was promoted to Sergeant and served as a Squad Leader for SWAT. Justin also served as a full-time training officer within the Training Division where he was the Range Master and Lead Instructor for firearms and defensive tactics.
Justin teaches Basic SWAT School and Advanced SWAT School for the Heartland Tactical Officers Association (HTOA). He is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Royce Gracie.
Andrew Hawkins
Andrew Hawkins is a veteran law enforcement officer and former Sergeant in the U.S. Army Infantry. He previously taught at the Police Academy and served as a Patrol Officer before transferring to the Fugitive Apprehension Unit.
He is the Breacher and Ballistic Shield Operator for SWAT. Andrew earned a Purple Heart for injuries sustained during combat while deployed in the Middle East.
Dr. Currie Myers
With over 35 years of law enforcement experience and academic, research, and executive experience, Dr. Currie Myers has a unique and practical perspective on our nation’s criminal justice public policy. A media favorite when talking about crime, criminology, and criminal justice issues, Dr. Myers is on faculty in the Criminology Department at Benedictine College and is a member of the Catholic Speakers Organization. Dr. Myers was the former Sheriff of Johnson County, KS and a Special Agent with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Dan Lawrenz
Dan Lawrenz was enlisted in the Marine Corps from 2006 to 2010, and deployed to Iraq. He spent seven years as a personal trainer in a commercial gym setting. Dan has been in law enforcement for six years in the Kansas City Metro Area and an operator for SWAT with three years of experience.
Dan trains in Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and MMA. He is also an instructor for the SWAT team’s Defensive Tactics Program and the Physical Fitness Program. Dan served as a Patrol Officer before transferring to the Fugitive Apprehension Unity. He is also a Ballistic Shield Operator for SWAT.
Muhammad-Adel Naseer
Naseer is a highly experienced law enforcement professional with over 15 years of combined military and police service. A 9-year U.S. Marine Corps Infantry veteran, Adel completed three deployments in support of Operation New Dawn and Operation Inherent Resolve, where he trained foreign military partners in weapons and tactics. Transitioning to law enforcement, Adel has served six years in the Kansas City metro area as a SWAT team operator and drone operator. A certified firearms, patrol rifle, TASER, EVOC, and Advanced TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) instructor, Adel also holds armorer certifications for Glock and Smith & Wesson.
As an adjunct academy instructor, Adel specializes in tactical training, crisis management, and advanced law enforcement techniques, focusing on practical, real-world skills to prepare officers for the challenges they face in the field.
Angela Cronister
Angela Cronister is originally from Minnesota but has lived in the Kansas City area for over a decade. Her professional background is as an Emergency Room nurse where she worked for 11 years and recently “retired” to homeschool her four children.
She is married to instructor Kevin Cronister and has been with Guardian Training Solutions serving in communications and administration since its founding.
See our training in action
Want a taste of real-life training? Watch Kevin Cronister, an instructor at Guardian Training Solutions, teach the three fundamental shield techniques. These skills are the foundation of our Ballistic Shield Training course, which is designed for officers to become proficient with the shield and use it in their day-to-day duties.
Techniques you’ll learn:
- Splitting
- Lipping
- Strike-facing
Time is ticking. In law enforcement, quick decisions are essential to keep people safe. Slow reaction time or unpreparedness can lead to tragedy. Training like this Ballistic Shield course will help officers feel confident as they protect those they swore to protect!
