AJ DeAndrea is a nationally recognized expert in tactical response and school safety, known for his leadership in some of the most high-profile critical incidents in U.S. history. With decades of SWAT and law enforcement experience, he brings insight into what it takes to respond effectively when seconds count. AJ’s approach emphasizes preparation, communication, and strong partnerships between schools and first responders. Through engaging, real-world training and presentations, he equips school communities with the tools, mindset, and confidence needed to act decisively under pressure—making him a trusted voice for those committed to saving lives and strengthening emergency response.
WHY
Book
AJ
FOR YOUR EVENT?
"At the FBI National Academy, we had the honor of hearing from A.J. DeAndrea and Madalena DeAndrea, who shared powerful stories that deeply resonated with all of us. A.J., a seasoned expert in active shooter response, provided insights from his experiences, including his response to the Columbine tragedy and other critical incidents. His daughter, Madalena, courageously recounted her survival during the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting in California. Her story of resilience and the life-saving lessons she learned from her father are nothing short of inspirational."
-Scott Hughes, Chief of Police, Hamilton Township, Warren County, OH (via LinkedIn)
WHO
Books
AJ
?
AJ DeAndrea connects with audiences by sharing decades of experience, mission-critical insights, and a powerful emphasis on preparation, accountability, and teamwork. His presentations cover topics such as active shooter response, law enforcement and school collaboration, crisis leadership, and building effective emergency plans that save lives when it matters most.
Recent audiences AJ has spoken to include:
FBINA Quantico
FBINAA Baltimore
IACP Boston
IACP Denver
Add your school or organization to the list of those inspired by AJ - book him today!
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SPEAKER
Topics Include
Safety & Security
Leadership, Law, & Policy
Operations & Emergency Management
Violence Prevention Strategies
Physical Security & Risk Assessment
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Active Shooter Preparedness & Response
Recovery & Resilience After Tragedy
Turning Pain into Purpose
Lessons Learned from Tragedy
Signature
PRESENTATIONS
Click on the titles to learn more about each signature presentation and fill out the form below to book for your next event.
Dark Nights of the Soul: When Terror Hits Home
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) held leadership roles during three school shootings that forever changed the fabric of American society and transformed law enforcement’s response to active shooter incidents worldwide. These pivotal events—Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) shootings—form the foundation of this powerful presentation.
AJ provides a candid, in-depth analysis of these tragedies, focusing not only on the challenges faced but also on the critical lessons learned. He explores the evolution of decision-making practices, the development of improved tactical responses, and the growing importance of mental health in prevention and recovery.
From these experiences emerged the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation, a framework designed to help communities reduce the likelihood of active shooter events and to respond more effectively should one occur.
AJ brings multiple perspectives to this topic:
Firsthand experience, having been inside the buildings during the Columbine, Platte Canyon, and YWAM shootings.
Global tactical leadership, developing and teaching strategies to prevent and stop active shooter events worldwide.
Personal perspective as a father, whose oldest daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, which claimed 12 lives including that of Ventura County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ron Helus.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
Apply the Tactical Decision-Making Matrix (P.I.E.)—Priorities, Intelligence, and Environment—to real-world scenarios.
Understand and implement the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation to prevent, mitigate, and effectively manage active shooter events.
Foster a resilient and supportive mental health culture within their agencies.
Apply protective factors in their personal and professional lives to strengthen resilience in the aftermath of trauma.
Platte Canyon High School Hostage and Shooting Incident
This presentation offers an in-depth examination of the Platte Canyon High School hostage and shooting incident, a tragedy that significantly influenced both American society and the way law enforcement and schools approach active shooter preparedness worldwide.
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) brings a unique perspective, having served in leadership roles during three school shootings: Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) shooting. His insights merge tactical expertise with personal experience, providing a rare and powerful account of these defining events.
As one of the team leaders during the Platte Canyon incident, Deputy Chief DeAndrea entered third during the rescue operation. What began as an active shooter event evolved into a hostage crisis. After negotiations failed, the team executed a multiple-point explosive breach entry, successfully rescuing one student while tragically losing Emily Keyes. The suspect was neutralized in the operation.
DeAndrea concludes with reflections not only as a law enforcement leader but also as a father. His oldest daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, which claimed 12 lives, including Ventura County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ron Helus. This personal connection gives him a profound understanding of the enduring impact these events leave on survivors, families, and communities.
These experiences have shaped the development of the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation, a framework designed to help communities and agencies prevent, respond to, and manage active shooter incidents more effectively
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) School Shooting
This presentation provides an in-depth examination of the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) school shooting, a tragedy that shaped how law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services approach active shooter preparedness across the nation and beyond.
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) brings a unique perspective, having served in leadership roles during three school shootings: Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and YWAM. His insights combine tactical expertise with lived experience, offering a rare and powerful account of these defining moments in modern law enforcement.
While serving as a patrol sergeant, Deputy Chief DeAndrea responded to the YWAM shooting, where four individuals were shot—two fatally. He coordinated the entry, oversaw the evacuation of victims, and directed SWAT’s subsequent search for the suspect. The gunman later reemerged in Colorado Springs, killing two more victims at New Life Church before taking his own life.
DeAndrea concludes by reflecting not only as a law enforcement leader but also as a father. His oldest daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, which claimed 12 lives, including Ventura County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ron Helus. This deeply personal experience gives him a profound understanding of the lasting impact such
tragedies have on survivors, families, and entire communities.
These lessons and experiences informed the development of the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation, a framework designed to help communities and agencies prevent, respond to, and manage active shooter incidents more effectively.
Columbine High School Shooting
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) provides a powerful account of his role as one of the SWAT entry team leaders during the first and second interior sweeps of Columbine High School. He delivers a tactical debrief coupled with a first-hand perspective from one of the most significant active shooter events in history—an event that profoundly reshaped American society and transformed law enforcement responses worldwide.
With experience in three school shootings—Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and Youth With A Mission (YWAM)—Deputy Chief DeAndrea brings unmatched insight, blending tactical expertise with deeply personal experiences. His presentation offers a rare, candid look at the challenges of leadership in moments of crisis.
The session begins with an introduction to the P.I.E. Tactical Decision-Making Matrix (Priorities, Intelligence, Environment), a framework DeAndrea created for SWAT team leaders and later adopted as an operational philosophy by his agency. He then transitions into a tactical debrief of Columbine, examining the realities of the incident, the decisions made, and the lessons learned.
Deputy Chief DeAndrea concludes with reflections not only as a law enforcement leader but also as a father. His oldest daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, which claimed 12 lives, including Ventura County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ron Helus. This personal experience gives him a profound understanding of the enduring impact these tragedies leave on survivors, families, and communities.
These hard-earned lessons helped shape the creation of the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation—a framework designed to equip communities and agencies to prevent, respond to, and manage active shooter incidents more effectively.
When Terror Hits Home: The Colorado School Massacres
This presentation provides an in-depth examination of the Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and Youth With a Mission (YWAM) shootings—tragic events that profoundly altered both American society and global law enforcement responses to active shooter incidents.
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Retired) brings a unique perspective, having served in key leadership roles during all three events. His insights combine tactical expertise with deeply personal experiences, offering a rare and powerful account of these defining moments.
The day begins with an introduction to the PIE Tactical Decision-Making Matrix, a framework developed by Deputy Chief DeAndrea for SWAT team leaders and later adopted as the operational philosophy of his agency.
Columbine High School: Deputy Chief DeAndrea recounts his role as the SWAT entry team leader during the first interior sweep of the school, providing a tactical debrief and f irst-hand perspective from one of the most significant active shooter events in history.
Platte Canyon High School: Serving as one of the team leaders, Deputy Chief DeAndrea entered third during the rescue operation. Initially an active shooter event, it evolved into a hostage crisis. After negotiations broke down, the team executed a multiple-point explosive breach, rescuing one student while tragically losing Emily Keyes. The suspect was also neutralized during the operation.
Youth With a Mission (YWAM): While serving as a patrol sergeant, Deputy Chief DeAndrea responded to this shooting, which left four victims shot—two fatally. He coordinated the entry, evacuation of victims, and SWAT’s subsequent search for the suspect. The gunman later resurfaced in Colorado Springs, killing two more victims at New Life Church before taking his own life.
Deputy Chief DeAndrea concludes by reflecting not only as a law enforcement leader but also as a father. His daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, giving him a deeply personal understanding of the lasting impact of these tragedies.
These experiences have shaped the development of the Eight Pillars of Awareness and Preparation, a framework designed to help communities and agencies prevent, respond to, and manage active shooter incidents more effectively.
Mindset and Tactical Decision-Making
This presentation provides a powerful exploration of the mindset required to effectively respond to active school violence and other critical incidents. Drawing from first-hand experiences in three of the most defining active shooter tragedies in modern history—Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and Youth With A Mission (YWAM)—Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) delivers an authentic, boots-on-the-ground perspective that few can offer.
AJ shares the hard-learned lessons of operating in life-or-death environments where decisions must be made in seconds, often with incomplete information and under extreme stress. Central to this discussion is the P.I.E. Tactical Decision-Making Matrix—Priorities, Intelligence, and Environment—a framework he created for SWAT team leaders and later adopted as the operational philosophy for his agency. This decision-making tool provides responders with clarity and structure in the midst of chaos, ensuring that actions remain focused, adaptable, and effective.
Beyond tactical decision-making, AJ emphasizes the mindset of resilience and leadership that today’s law enforcement professionals must adopt. He examines the psychological toll of these events on responders, survivors, and communities, underscoring the critical need for cultivating mental toughness and fostering a positive mental health culture within agencies.
This presentation equips participants with insights that transcend tactics—lessons on leadership, adaptability, and recovery that can be taken back to their own agencies and applied in daily operations. AJ also shares his personal journey, including his perspective as a father whose oldest daughter survived the 2018 Borderline Bar & Grill mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. This lived experience reinforces the importance of preparedness not only as professionals, but as parents, community members, and leaders.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will leave this presentation able to:
Apply the P.I.E. Tactical Decision-Making Matrix to real-world situations.
Understand how mindset influences performance and decision-making under stress.
Incorporate lessons learned from Columbine, Platte Canyon, and YWAM into their own agency training and culture.
Foster resilience and strengthen mental health practices within their organizations.
Lead with clarity and conviction during times of crisis.
Reintegration: Supporting Law Enforcement Through Critical Incident Recovery
This presentation provides an in-depth exploration of reintegration and recovery for law enforcement professionals following critical incidents. Drawing from decades of experience responding to high-profile active shooter events—including Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and Youth With A Mission (YWAM)—Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) shares firsthand insights into the mental health challenges faced by officers and first responders in the aftermath of trauma.
Deputy Chief DeAndrea emphasizes the three obligations of leadership to their personnel:
Preparation: Ensuring employees are mentally, tactically, and emotionally ready before a critical incident occurs. This includes instilling the right mindset, providing realistic training, equipping personnel with appropriate tactics and tools, and fostering confidence in their ability to perform under pressure.
Presence: Being fully engaged and supportive during and immediately after the incident. Leaders must provide guidance, insight, and reassurance, advocating for their team while ensuring facts and circumstances are carefully assessed.
Sustained Support: Helping personnel navigate the long-term effects of critical incidents and supporting their continued growth throughout their careers. Leaders play a vital role in ensuring employees feel valued, understood, and capable of reintegration into their teams and communities.
The presentation introduces a three-pronged reintegration program designed to facilitate recovery and organizational resilience:
Administrative Oversight: Structured processes and policies to guide individual’s post incident management and accountability.
Departmental Support: Peer and leadership engagement to provide emotional support, mentorship, and team cohesion.
Personal Growth: Individual-focused strategies for mental health, resiliency, and professional development, ensuring that affected personnel can reintegrate successfully and continue to thrive in their careers.
Through this framework, participants will learn practical strategies to re-onboard and socialize personnel impacted by critical incidents, build organizational resilience, and foster a culture that prioritizes mental health, tactical readiness, and long-term success. Deputy Chief DeAndrea combines tactical expertise with a profound understanding of the psychological impact of trauma, offering leaders actionable tools to guide their teams safely through crisis and beyond.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
Understand the three obligations of leadership in preparing, supporting, and sustaining personnel through critical incidents.
Implement the three-pronged reintegration program at an administrative, departmental, and personal level.
Apply lessons learned from high-profile incidents to strengthen mental health support, resilience, and team cohesion.
Develop strategies to support personnel in navigating trauma, maintaining operational readiness, and continuing professional growth.
The Tenets of P.I.E.: A Tactical Decision-Making Matrix
Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) held leadership roles during three school shootings that forever changed the fabric of American society and transformed law enforcement’s response to active shooter incidents worldwide: Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) shootings. These pivotal events, along with extensive realworld experience, form the foundation of the P.I.E. Tactical Decision-Making Matrix—a framework now utilized by law enforcement agencies, school districts, and corporations
worldwide to guide decision-making under pressure.
The P.I.E. Matrix—Priorities, Intelligence, and Environment—was originally developed by Deputy Chief DeAndrea to help officers make solid, life-saving decisions in high-stress situations. It was then introduced to SWAT team leaders and later adopted as an operational philosophy across multiple agencies. The framework emphasizes:
Priorities – identifying and focusing on the most critical objectives during an incident.
Intelligence – gathering, assessing, and applying actionable information to make
informed tactical decisions.
Environment – adapting to the dynamic circumstances, terrain, and situational factors in real time.
This decision-making tool provides responders with clarity, structure, and adaptability in the midst of chaos, ensuring actions remain focused, coordinated, and effective. Beyond tactical applications, P.I.E. serves as a universal framework for leadership, crisis management, and organizational preparedness, empowering individuals and teams to navigate uncertainty with confidence and precision.
Through examples from Columbine, Platte Canyon, YWAM, and other real world incidents participants gain rare insight into how this framework has been applied in life-or-death situations, offering practical lessons that can be implemented across agencies, organizations, and communities to strengthen decision-making, leadership, and resilience.
"At the FBI National Academy, we had the honor of hearing from A.J. DeAndrea and Madalena DeAndrea, who shared powerful stories that deeply resonated with all of us. A.J., a seasoned expert in active shooter response, provided insights from his experiences, including his response to the Columbine tragedy and other critical incidents. His daughter, Madalena, courageously recounted her survival during the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting in California. Her story of resilience and the life-saving lessons she learned from her father are nothing short of inspirational."
-Scott Hughes, Chief of Police, Hamilton Township, Warren County, OH (via LinkedIn)
Speaker
BIOGRAPHY
AJ DeAndrea is a nationally recognized law enforcement veteran with over 30 years of experience in tactical operations, school safety, and crisis response. As a SWAT Team leader and first responder to multiple high-profile active shooter events—including Columbine High School, Platte Canyon High School, and the Youth With a Mission/New Life Church shootings—AJ brings unmatched firsthand insight into critical incident management.
He is the founder and CEO of Centurio Training and Consulting, where he provides specialized training for schools, law enforcement, and organizations across the country. AJ is known for bridging the gap between tactical response and school-based preparedness, emphasizing collaboration, communication, and decisive action under pressure. His signature keynote, Dark Nights of the Soul: When Terror Hits Home, delivers powerful lessons from real-world experiences and equips audiences with practical tools for crisis planning and response.
AJ’s work has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and other national agencies, and he continues to serve as a trusted advisor on school safety and emergency readiness. His training style is clear, compelling, and rooted in lived experience—making him one of the most sought-after voices in school safety today.