Chris Grollnek is an award-winning retired police investigator and one of the nation’s most respected policy voices on preventing domestic terrorism and active shooter events. The work has taken Chris into rooms most people only read about testifying under oath before House and Senate committees on counterterrorism initiatives at the request of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), advising the Mackenzie Institute in Canada on the phenomenon of active shooters in America and abroad, and contributing to policy development at the U.S. Department of Justice that now governs how more than 10,000 federal law enforcement officers and Assistant United States Attorneys carry firearms.

The Mackenzie Institute is a globally recognized Canadian public policy institute focused on terrorism, organized violence, and security. Being asked to advise an institution of that stature is not something Chris takes lightly, and it reflects the broader pattern of his career: showing up, doing the work, and earning trust at the highest levels of government, law enforcement, and policy.

What makes Chris the most sought-after voice in this space is not a title or a marketing claim. It is more than three decades of lived experience as a U.S. Marine, a retired police detective, a real-time active shooter survivor, and the founder of the only active shooter prevention organization selected twice by the U.S. Department of Justice as a “A” national standard. The work continues every day because the mission demands it. The destination is #NEVERHERE™.

Chris Grollnek leads a coalition of approximately 30 companies, the most experienced active shooter prevention, technology, and security organizations in the country, working in coordination through the Active Shooter Prevention Project™ to build genuine prevention infrastructure for schools, healthcare facilities, corporate campuses, houses of worship, and government environments nationwide.

Prior to founding ASPP™, Chris served in the U.S. Marine Corps for over a decade, including as a Senior Drill Instructor. During his service, he received multiple commendations and record-setting accolades, including Drill Instructor of the Quarter and the number one spot on the Meritorious Promotion list to Staff Rank reserved for the top one percent of Special Duty Marines.

Chris served as a Police Corporal, Narcotics Detective, SWAT Operator, Element Leader, and Police Officer for the City of McKinney, Texas, between 2002 and 2012. He indefinitely retains his Master Peace Officer license in the State of Texas. He was selected early in his career by his peers and supervisors to serve in Board-level leadership positions, including Secretary, Vice President, and President of the McKinney Police Association. While serving on the Board, Chris was instrumental in arbitrating raises and reducing budget constraints over a five-year period.

Following his successful tenure of Board leadership, Chris was selected to attend the Internal Affairs and Ethics Investigator Course at the International School of Police Management. In 2010, Chris began his postgraduate work and earned a Master of Science Degree in Administration of Justice and Security. He graduated with a 4.0 GPA and was inducted into the National Honor Society. Chris also holds AA and BS degrees from accredited universities.

Chris co-authored the U.S. Department of Justice Emergency Operations Plan firearms carry policy for all 10,700 Assistant United States Attorneys and federal law enforcement officers working for the DOJ. The PRO Model™ Prevention. Response. Options. was selected by the DOJ as “A” national standard for active shooter prevention training in 2022 and again in 2026 through 2028, the only organization selected twice. Filmed by the Justice Television Network, the official DOJ production studio, and made available to all 115,000 DOJ personnel on a biannual basis. Publicly documented on the DOJ learning portal and YouTube.

The PRO Model™ is utilized across many U.S. Department of Defense installations. Chris participated in DOD technology demonstrations at Blue Grass Army Depot with senior defense officials, including the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters, specifically demonstrating drone technology, computer vision via Scylla AI, and radar-sensing integration within a prevention and security architecture.

Chris has testified before the U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress on active shooter prevention and domestic terrorism preparedness. He served as an expert witness in Parkland and multiple federal cases. He coordinated active shooter prevention efforts among the NFL, local, state, and federal authorities at Super Bowl LVIII and Super Bowl LIX, as documented in public records.

Chris was invited twice to the World Police Summit in Dubai as a featured keynote presenter and received the 1st Place Keynote Award in 2023. He was a featured keynote speaker at Everbridge Discover Resilience 2026 in Chicago alongside global resilience and technology leaders. He has appeared on more than 1,200 national television broadcasts, including Fox, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, OANN, ABC, CBS, and NBC.

Chris Grollnek is internationally recognized as the nation’s leading expert on active shooter events and domestic terrorism prevention. The destination is #NEVERHERE™.