Become A Certified PRT Instructor
Train directly with Alan Baker and learn the defensive tactics system designed specifically for executive protection, corporate security, private security, and protection professionals operating in real-world environments.
Trusted By: Executive Protection Institute • California Highway Patrol • Vehicle Dynamics Institute • TSA • Executive Protection Teams • Corporate Security Professionals
How The Process Works
We’ve designed the certification process to be simple, straightforward, and focused on helping qualified professionals become effective PRT instructors.
Submit Your Application
Complete the instructor application and tell us about your background, training experience, and professional goals.
Speak With Our Team
Schedule a brief conversation with our staff to discuss the program, answer questions, and ensure the certification is the right fit.
Attend Certification Training
Train directly with Alan Baker and the PRT team while learning the curriculum, teaching methodology, and instructor standards.
Become A Certified Instructor
Receive your certification, gain access to the Online Academy, attend future camps, and begin teaching the PRT system.
What Comes With Your PRT Certification?
When you become a certified Protection Response Tactics® Instructor, you receive more than a certificate. You gain access to curriculum, training, support, and ongoing development designed to help you teach the system professionally.
Two-Year Instructor Certification
Your PRT certification is valid for two years, giving you a clear professional credential and continued access to the instructor development process.
Access To Instructor Camps
During your certification period, you receive access to PRT Instructor Training Camps so you can continue refining your skills in person.
PRT Online Instructor Academy
Study curriculum videos, recorded camps, teaching modules, reference material, and ongoing training content through the online academy.
Teaching Manuals & Resources
Receive instructor materials, curriculum support, drills, reference tools, and teaching resources to help you deliver the system with clarity.
Instructor Listing
Certified instructors can be listed on the PRT website, helping students, organizations, and professionals find qualified PRT instruction.
Ongoing Team Support
You are not left on your own after certification. The PRT team provides continued support, guidance, and development as you grow.
PRT certification is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing instructor development process designed to keep you sharp, supported, and connected to the evolution of the system.
See inside the Academy
Your Development. Organized and Connected.
Your development continues between camps. The PRT Online Instructor Academy brings your courses, learning tools, and instructor community into one place.
Know your next step.
Begin with your orientation, find your courses, and follow the curriculum through an organized learning environment.
Keep your development moving.
Return to lessons, follow your course progress, and keep your instructor biography and profile current when listing access is available.
Stay connected.
Ask questions inside your lessons, participate in the member forum, and receive Academy updates as you continue your study.
How your learning tools and communication work
Courses and progress. Your dashboard connects you to Start Here, your available courses, the course index, and your next lesson. Course progress helps you see where to continue.
Your instructor presence. Eligible instructors can update their public biography, photo, websites, social links, and location display through the bio editor. The PRT team manages certification and account access.
Questions and support. Use lesson comments for questions about the material you are studying. Use the forum for broader discussion, and contact Jennifer for individual program or account assistance. Thoughtful questions are welcome.
Academy updates. Check your dashboard for PRT and The Capable Academy announcements. You can also choose email notifications for PRT Academy Updates.
Course and listing access depend on your program status. Online study supports instructor development. Certification and teaching authority require successful completion of the PRT certification process.
Why We Believe In Proximity-Based Learning
At Protection Response Tactics®, we believe one of the biggest problems in the training industry is the rise of weekend certifications.
Too many programs certify instructors after a brief exposure to information and then send them back to teach material they have not truly developed.
Information is not skill. Watching a technique is not understanding a technique. And understanding a technique is not the same as being able to teach it under pressure.
That is why PRT was built around proximity-based learning. Certain elements of defensive tactics must be felt, experienced, coached, refined, and pressure-tested in person.
For this reason, every certified instructor receives access to instructor training camps throughout their certification period. We want to see you. We want to coach you. We want to help you continue developing long after your initial certification.
Feel The Difference
Some skills must be experienced firsthand to be fully understood.
Refine Your Craft
Receive direct coaching, correction, and feedback from the PRT team.
Develop Over Time
Great instructors are built through continued development, not weekend certifications.
“Our goal is not to create instructors who can repeat techniques. Our goal is to develop instructors who can solve real-world protection problems.”
Train Directly With The Creator Of The System
Protection Response Tactics® was not built in a boardroom or adapted from another industry. It was developed through decades of hands-on experience in martial arts, defensive tactics, executive protection, instructor development, and real-world training environments.
With more than 46 years of martial arts and defensive tactics experience, Alan Baker brings one of the most diverse and practical backgrounds in the industry.
As the founder of Protection Response Tactics®, Alan has spent decades studying how people actually perform under pressure and designing systems that work in the environments where protection professionals operate.
“Information can be delivered online. Judgment, timing, communication, and teaching ability are developed through coaching, repetition, and experience.”
Organizations We Have Worked With
Alan Baker and Protection Response Tactics® have worked with respected organizations across executive protection, law enforcement, corporate security, tactical training, vehicle dynamics, firearms instruction, and professional protection.
Trusted by executive protection teams, law enforcement agencies, corporate security professionals, tactical instructors, and training organizations nationwide.
What Respected Professionals Are Saying About PRT
Protection Response Tactics® has earned strong endorsements from executive protection leaders, law enforcement professionals, tactical trainers, and security specialists who understand the realities of protection work.
The absolute best defensive tactics system for the EP profession, bar none.
PRT is specifically designed from the ground up for executive protection.
Alan Baker’s PRT system is the best I have ever seen.
Alan Baker’s reputation as a world class designer, developer, and instructor of leading edge training is well deserved.
PRT equips protectors with practical, socially responsible tactics tailored specifically for defending others.
The movements are visibly defensive in nature. They do not appear overly aggressive, even if videoed.
These testimonials reflect the core mission of PRT: provide protection professionals with a defensive tactics system that is practical, professional, visually appropriate, and built for the realities of protecting others.
Who This Program Is For
Protection Response Tactics® was designed for professionals, instructors, and leaders who are responsible for protecting others and need a system built specifically for real-world environments.
This Is Not A Casual Certification
PRT was built for people who take their professional development seriously. The program focuses on developing judgment, communication, control, de-escalation, and practical defensive tactics that can be applied under pressure.
Our goal is not to create instructors who can repeat techniques. Our goal is to develop professionals who can solve problems, teach effectively, and perform when it matters most.
Executive Protection Professionals
Protectors responsible for the safety of executives, public figures, dignitaries, clients, and high-value individuals.
Defensive Tactics Instructors
Instructors looking for a complete system designed specifically for protection environments rather than traditional self-defense.
Security Professionals
Corporate security personnel, private security contractors, and professionals responsible for managing conflict and violence.
Law Enforcement & Military
Professionals seeking protection-specific skills that complement existing operational and instructional responsibilities.
Academy Owners
School owners looking to add a unique instructor certification and professional development pathway to their organization.
Serious Practitioners
Dedicated students who want to deepen their understanding of protection-centered defensive tactics and instructor development.
If you are responsible for protecting others, teaching others, or leading others, this program was designed for you.
Why Protection Response Tactics® Exists
PRT was created to solve a problem that has existed in the protection industry for decades.
Most Defensive Tactics Programs Were Never Designed For Protection Professionals
For years, protection professionals have been forced to borrow defensive tactics from law enforcement, military combatives, traditional martial arts, and sport fighting systems.
The problem is that most of those systems were designed for completely different missions, environments, legal considerations, and objectives.
In many cases, what is being taught today is simply repackaged martial arts presented as defensive tactics. Unfortunately, most people lack the experience or reference points necessary to recognize the difference.
As a result, many professionals invest time, money, and effort into training that looks impressive but does not address the realities of protecting another human being.
Built From The Ground Up For Protection Work
Protection Response Tactics® was not adapted from another industry.
It was developed specifically for executive protection, corporate security, private security, and professionals whose responsibility is protecting others.
Every component of the system was built around real protection challenges, including de-escalation, client-centered decision making, visually appropriate control tactics, vehicle-based problems, firearms integration, environmental constraints, and liability considerations.
The result is a complete defensive tactics system designed specifically for the realities of protection work rather than borrowed solutions from unrelated environments.
PRT was never intended to be another martial arts program.
It was built to become the defensive tactics system that protection professionals should have had from the beginning.
Questions Before You Apply?
Here are answers to the most common questions instructors, protection professionals, and academy owners ask before joining the PRT Instructor Certification Program.
How long is the PRT certification valid?
PRT Instructor Certifications are valid for two years. During your certification period, you receive access to instructor camps, the PRT Online Instructor Academy, curriculum resources, and ongoing support.
Can I teach PRT after certification?
Yes. Certified instructors are authorized to teach the PRT material at their certified level and receive access to the curriculum, teaching resources, and support needed to deliver the system professionally.
What happens after I apply?
Once your application is received, our team will contact you to discuss your background, answer your questions, and help determine the best certification path for your goals.
Do I have to attend training in person?
Yes. PRT certification is conducted in person because certain elements of defensive tactics must be felt, coached, refined, and pressure-tested directly.
Is this just a weekend certification?
No. PRT is built around long-term instructor development. The certification event is the beginning of the process, not the end. Certified instructors continue developing through camps, coaching, online resources, and ongoing support.
Do I need to attend future camps?
Future camps are strongly encouraged because they allow instructors to refine their skills, receive direct feedback, stay current with the curriculum, and continue developing under the PRT team.
Do I need executive protection experience?
No. Many instructors come from martial arts, law enforcement, military, security, and defensive tactics backgrounds. The program teaches protection-specific concepts and methods so qualified professionals can develop within the system.
What makes PRT different from standard defensive tactics?
PRT was designed specifically for executive protection, corporate security, private security, and professionals responsible for protecting others. The system focuses on de-escalation, visually appropriate control, client protection, vehicle-based problems, firearms integration, and real-world decision making.
Can academy owners add PRT to their school?
Yes. Many instructors use PRT alongside existing martial arts, defensive tactics, self-defense, security, or professional training programs. It gives academy owners a protection-specific curriculum that stands apart from generic self-defense training.
What is included with certification?
Certification includes instructor training, curriculum access, online academy access, teaching resources, instructor development opportunities, access to instructor camps during your certification period, and support from the PRT team.
Ready To Take The Next Step?
If you are serious about teaching protection-specific defensive tactics and developing as an instructor, the next step is to submit your application.
Apply For Certification
Jennifer Wood
Operations Director • Protection Response Tactics®
Ready To Become A Certified PRT Instructor?
When you submit your application, our team will personally review your information and help guide you through the next step of the certification process.
Jennifer, our Operations Director, will help coordinate your communication, answer questions, and make sure you understand the process before attending your certification event.
Real skill. Real coaching. Real instructor development.
Professional perspectives
What People Are Saying About PRT
Hear from professionals in executive protection, law enforcement, and training about PRT and Alan Baker’s approach.
Jerry Heying
CPP, PPS, CST · Executive Director, Executive Protection Institute
Executive protection perspective
“the absolute best defensive tactics system for the EP profession, bar none.”
Read full testimonial from Jerry Heying
Your thoughtful approach to the need for protectors and their unique need for a system of protecting their clients developed into the absolute best defensive tactics system for the EP profession, bar none. Several years ago, when we first approached you to develop a specific defensive tactics system for protectors, as most we using borrowed tactics from the police and the military, I remember that before you recommended anything, you questioned experienced practitioners and those who had to protect others and what their specific needs were. Then you began to develop a system that is “client based” and not “self defense”. This is extremely important in our profession, where we must be focused on keeping a third party safe from harm’s way.
Antonio Alfonso
Personal protection professional
“PRT equips protectors with practical, socially responsible tactics tailored specifically for defending others.”
Read full testimonial from Antonio Alfonso
Protection Response Tactics® (PRT) is an exceptional course that answers a critical question: “What is the most effective, comprehensive, reliable, and socially appropriate response when facing varying levels of unwanted force or behavior?” Unlike traditional martial arts focused solely on self defense, PRT equips protectors with practical, socially responsible tactics tailored specifically for defending others. The course is built on legally sound principles and emphasizes a superior mindset, incorporating verbal de escalation techniques seamlessly with natural body movement. Over the past decade, Sifu Alan Baker has meticulously developed and honed this adaptable approach to managing aggressive confrontations. His dedication has produced content that is both effective and respectful of legal boundaries, setting a high standard for personal protection strategies. As a devoted martial arts practitioner and professional in personal protection, I can confidently say that PRT stands unrivaled in its thoroughness and applicability.
Gene Ferrara
Chief Instructor, Executive Protection Institute
“I highly recommend practitioners of close protection take the opportunity to attend Sifu Baker’s training.”
Read full testimonial from Gene Ferrara
The Executive Protection Institute has always strived to be a leader in the field of Personal Protection. Our founder, Dr. Richard Kobetz, set a standard for the Institute to not only adopt existing protection techniques but where applicable, to refine those techniques or, in some cases, create new ones specifically for the personal protection industry.. Such was the case when he reached out to Sifu Alan Baker to address the issue of physical defense or restraint tactics for the seven day Providing Executive Protection class. Alan took the time to actually attend the training program to familiarize himself with what personal protection was all about. Dr. Kobetz’s philosophy of effective, low key protection was paramount in Alan’s approach to his design of this part of the program. His techniques were created to provide physical control of an adversary in such a manner that they do not draw unwanted attention to an interchange. The movements are visibly defensive in nature. They do not appear overly aggressive, even if videoed by media or bystanders with cell phones. Thus, avoiding bad publicity for the client or the protection agent. Sifu Baker has gone on to present these techniques to students in the Providing Executive Protection classes, as well as now offering classes specifically for the topic of defensive tactics. I highly recommend practitioners of close protection take the opportunity to attend Sifu Baker’s training.
Lt. Jerry Jacobs (ret.)
California Highway Patrol, Governor’s Protective Detail
“Alan doesn’t try to force his style into your environment. He designs a style that matches your needs.”
Read full testimonial from Lt. Jerry Jacobs (ret.)
I was fortunate to find Alan Baker of Baker Tactical Training & Design. Alan’s Protection Response Tactics® (PRT) is specifically designed from the ground up for executive protection. Moreover, Alan has designed many unique programs that are unprecedented (i.e., systems for fighting in and around vehicles while stationary and on the move). This type of innovative system design comes from a lifetime of martial arts and combative study. Alan doesn’t try to force his style into your environment. He designs a style that matches your needs. This is exactly why I had Alan Baker and his team come to teach his PRT course at the CHP Academy, not only for the Governor’s Protective Detail but also for our Dignitary Protection Section, Threat Assessment Unit, and the Advanced Officer Safety Training instructors.
Brent Magnussen
EP Agent · Former U.S. Army Combat Engineer
“Alan Baker’s PRT system is the best I have ever seen.”
Read full testimonial from Brent Magnussen
As an Executive Protection Agent working and training around the world, when it comes to defensive tactics, Alan Baker’s PRT system is the best I have ever seen. His knowledge and techniques on how to de escalate a situation are applicable to real world scenarios and incredibly effective. And if the situation develops into one that requires violence, Alan’s understanding of closing distance, and neutralizing a threat quickly is unmatched. PRT is simply that impressive. If you are fortunate enough to train with Sifu Alan Baker, I can promise you will leave that training a much more confident, better prepared, and a far more dangerous human.
Shane Abercrombie
Iron Shield Protection, LLC
“Alan Baker’s Protection Response Tactics® course is an invaluable addition to any security professional’s training regimen.”
Read full testimonial from Shane Abercrombie
Alan Baker’s Protection Response Tactics® course is an invaluable addition to any security professional’s training regimen. The course delivers a comprehensive approach to handling high stakes scenarios, blending both defensive and offensive tactics to ensure the safety of clients and team members alike. Baker’s instruction on situational awareness and rapid threat assessment provided critical insights, especially for those in executive protection roles. The hands on drills emphasized real world application, with clear guidance on managing both close contact encounters and high threat environments. This course is essential for professionals aiming to elevate their response capabilities and enhance client protection under various conditions.
Joe Autera
President & CEO, Vehicle Dynamics Institute
On training and curriculum development
“they make even the most complex tasks look easy!”
Read full testimonial from Joe Autera
Alan Baker’s reputation as a world class designer, developer, and instructor of leading edge training is not only well deserved, it is reflected in every facet of the work he and his team perform with the hallmark of true professionals, they make even the most complex tasks look easy! Case in point is the Vehicle Centric Defensive Tactics (VCDT) program he and his team designed, developed, and have continued to evolve over the course of more than a decade. From the very first time we introduced the program to one of our military clients to this very day, and regardless of whether we are delivering a VCDT course to military special operations and special mission units, law enforcement tactical teams, or private sector executive protection practitioners, the response is virtually identical.
