Stephen A. Taranto, Jr., J.D.
Stephen has been in law enforcement for over 40 years. He is retired from a large metro-Boston area police department. He has also worked for a major Federal Law Enforcement agency and a major University in Boston.
Stephen is a senior instructor for the state’s police training agency where he conducts instructor-level training in several disciplines. He is a co-designer of many law enforcement, security, and academic curriculums. Stephen lecturers and instructs nationally on law enforcement and security related subjects and is a Graduate Level Adjunct College Professor.
He is also retired from the military after a three-branch combination of active and reserve duty. While in the military, he was assigned to the Presidential Security Unit at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington D.C., and his final 12 years was spent as a reserve Special Agent for the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Command. Stephen continues to provide training for the Military.
Stephen has been a certified firearms instructor for over 38 years. He has held positions as department rangemaster, Assistant Statewide Firearms Coordinator, instructor-trainer, and program designer. His firearms instruction includes providing training for local and federal agencies, recruit academies, civilians, and the military. He has competed in military competitions. Stephen is an IALEFI Annual (ATC) and Regional Training (RTC) Instructor.
Stephen has been married for 39 years and has two adult daughters. He is a practicing martial artist, FBI Trilogy Awardee, a graduate of Western New England College and PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police, and he holds a JD from Massachusetts School of Law. Stephen is currently a POST sworn officer and is the Assistant Training Director for a private law enforcement and public safety training firm.
A few highlights of Stephen’s Firearms Instructor Experience are:
- Firearms Instructor-Trainer
- ‘Revolver-to-Pistol’ Program Author
- Reserve Firearms Familiarization – Pistol Handling Course
- Program designer and primary instructor for the initial arming of 2 Boston area universities
- Original author and senior instructor-trainer for ‘Instructor Development Program’
- Co-Author Use of Force Curriculum Design Committee
