PoliceTrainingHQ

In this episode of the Police Training HQ Podcast, Mike Hughes and Walt Bauer sit down with one of the most respected legal instructors in law enforcement—Anthony Bandiero, attorney, former police sergeant, and founder of Blue to Gold Training. With over 70,000 officers and 7,000 attorneys trained, Anthony shares his journey from growing up in the projects of Las Vegas to becoming a nationally rec...

In this special episode of the Police Training HQ Podcast , we’re on the road in Corpus Christi, Texas, where I had the opportunity to attend the SafeWrap Instructor Course—a hands-on, reality-based control tactics program built for today’s law enforcement challenges. I sat down after Day 1 with Charlie Fernandez and Bernardo Figueiredo, two of the instructors leading the course. We talked about t...

In this episode, Mike and Walt sit down with Malcolm Jackson—a law enforcement and public safety leader with over 40 years of experience. Malcolm shares powerful reflections on how academy training has evolved since the 1970s, what great leadership looks like in public service, and how professionalism, ethics, and high standards are still the cornerstone of good policing. From his time leading Tar...

In this episode, Mike and Walt break down a hard truth in law enforcement training: just because you took a high-quality class doesn’t mean you learned anything useful—at least not for long. They discuss well-known programs like Force Science, Blue to Gold, and Street Cop Training, and why even the best content fades fast if officers don’t actively engage with it after the fact. Learn practical wa...

In this episode, Walt Bauer and Mike Hughes go full nerd (their words) to unpack powerful takeaways from The 10-Minute Trainer by Sharon Bowman—a book that’s transformed the way they teach police recruits and instructors. They break down: Why attention span isn’t just a student problem—it’s a brain issue How to use teach-backs, memory palaces, and ticket-out-the-door strategies for lasting retenti...

In this episode of the PoliceTrainingHQ Podcast, Walt Bauer and Mike Hughes delve into the concept of 'teach back' as a powerful learning tool in police training. They discuss how active recall and cognitive engagement can enhance retention and understanding of complex topics. The conversation emphasizes the importance of practical application, student engagement, and the neurological aspe...

In this episode, Walt and Mike get personal—and pointed—about a comment that tried to dismiss their teaching model as just a “nice theory.” But they push back with experience, neuroscience, and a challenge to every instructor stuck in old methods. They break down: Why “Autonomy, Relevance, and Practical Application” isn’t theory—it’s brain science How their workbook system primes cadets' brain...

In Episode 8 of the Police Training HQ Podcast, Mike and Walt take a break from heavy training topics to share a quick update with listeners. They talk about where they’ve been teaching lately, what’s coming up next, and some exciting plans to roll out video-based training reviews. You’ll also hear about upcoming guests and a few well-deserved shout outs to friends and supporters of PoliceTraining...

In this episode, Mike Hughes and Walt Bauer dive deep into the learning retention process and how most police training stalls out at Step 3—Working Memory Activation. Drawing from brain science, real-world experience, and instructional design, they break down the 8-stage learning retention process, showing how instructors can move beyond information overload and into true long-term learning and re...

In this episode, Walt Bauer sits down at Sul Ross University with two police recruits and a university officer to talk about their week of training with Police Training HQ. The group reflects on the scenarios, teach-backs, and active learning strategies used during the week—methods grounded in the PTHQ model of Autonomy, Relevance, and Practical Application . Walt turns the table and asks: “If you...

Recorded in Alpine, Texas, this episode features a wide-ranging and reflective conversation between Walt Bauer and lifelong educator Kyle Bauer. As Walt trains future officers at Sul Ross University’s cadet program, the two men dive into the heart of what makes learning stick. Kyle shares stories and insights from decades in education, focusing on those pivotal “AHA” moments—when understanding fin...

In this episode, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of just hearing from us about the value of solid police training, you’ll hear from someone who actually sought it out on his own. We sit down with an officer who made long trip to train with Walt Bauer, diving into a broad discussion on law, search and seizure, and other critical skills and topics. We’ll also take this opportunity...

In this episode we talk about the foundational principles of our classroom methods: autonomy, relevance & practical application.

In this episode we talk about subject-matter expertise and teaching without the PowerPoint crutch.

Episode 1 is about who we are and what we do at PoliceTrainingHQ.