About
We support safe and responsible gun ownership and positive law enforcement interaction.
We at Arm The Populace do not care about the color of your skin, who you choose to love, or what invisible entity in the sky you pray to. Personal Defense is a basic right for everyone.
We are a firearms and personal defense training company specializing in Concealed Carry classes and advanced training for everyday people. Whether you have never seen a gun before or have been shooting for years we can help you get better.
Arm The Populace is the most recommended and most attended CCW class in Ohio. In 2018, almost 1600 people received their CCW training from A.T.P.
See us featured on USA Today by clicking the following link: https://amp.usatoday.com
Meet The staff
Douglas Cooper
Owner and Chief Instructor
Doug is a Cincinnati Native; he graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1988 and the University of Cincinnati in 2007 with degrees in Literature and History, and minors in Theology and Philosophy. Doug has been an educator as a corporate trainer, Treasury Agent, and now USCCA and NRA Certified Firearms Instructor and NRA Chief Range Safety Officer.
His service to his fellow Americans is trying to help keep you and your loved ones safe in a crazy and dangerous world. Besides multiple accreditations through multiple
firearms organizations (NRA, USSCA, etc.), he has been shooting since he was 4 years old and training in martial arts since he was 7 years old. Doug says, “Your self-preservation is 100% your responsibility, but to aid you with that I founded Arm The Populace.”
“Therefore, since the world has still
Much good, but much less good than ill,
And while the Sun and Moon endure,
Luck’s a chance but trouble’s sure,
I’d face it as a wise man would,
And train for ill and not for good.”
-A. E. Housman
Charlie Griffin
Instructor
Cincinnati native and a graduate of St. Louis Job Corps Center where he finished his high school program a year earlier than any other student in the history of the program. Charlie also received his certificate in Cement Masonry and garnered 5 different awards including Vice President of the Month and The Center Director's Award of Distinction.
He began shooting at age 13 with Military and Law Enforcement family members and Martial Arts training since the age of 9. Charlie was forced to mature early at 16 years old in order to care for his mother who had taken ill, caring for her through high school and until 2012.
Charlie is a USCCA Certified Firearms Instructor and NRA Range Safety Officer.
"Right action is better than knowledge, but in order to do what is right we must know what is right."