OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – CCW Safe, a unique national self-defense plan provider, has announced a thirty percent annual member growth rate in recent years. The private company’s various plans provide holistic legal, financial, emotional, and physical support to citizens and off-duty law enforcement officers should a self-defense incident occur in 47 states through travel or residency.
The company, with its one-of-a-kind business model, was launched in 2013.
Mike Darter, a former Oklahoma City police officer and federal Department of Justice contractor, initially created the company. He faced a lawsuit from a shooting incident in the line of duty. His case was dismissed, but he experienced the trauma of committing a justified killing.
CCW Safe Co-Founder, Stan Campbell, is Chair of the company’s Coverage Committee. He is a retired Oklahoma City police lieutenant who also administered de-escalation skills training to thousands of citizens and youth.
Campbell explained the reason for the company’s consistent growth.
“No one else in our space provides police-level self-defense protection for the public. Our plans deliver uncapped coverages for criminal and civil defense attorneys and excellent coverages for bail bonds, red flag issues, and Wrongful Death civil lawsuits. We are also uniquely self-insured, so our plan members receive abundant coverage without the risk of a requirement to repay our expenses. There are incidents that can occur in the legal process of self-defense that require our competitors to recoup case costs from their members. Taking a plea deal or being convicted by a jury as a criminal felon, are two of those instances. Competitors must demand recoupment because they are not self-insured and only sell a restrictive insurance company policy to members. However, we are not at the mercy of an insurance company and have designed our own terms of service. We never ask for a reimbursement.”
Campbell also described the company’s unique critical response team that is part of their member’s coverages. The team arrives within 24 to 36 hours to determine each member’s needs in the aftermath of a deadly force self-defense incident.
“These team members ensure that members pleading self-defense are strategically prepared to face a judge at a pre-trial review, as well as a jury the judge may order. They also coordinate plan-covered psychological and financial counseling support plus help with hotel reservations and clothing needs.
We also have plan-covered retired police investigators, plus forensic scientists and other professionals who are qualified to assess the crime scene if the member’s attorney believes the case needs it. And we evaluate attorneys for proper trial experience. All legal services are fully paid under our plans.
We also do not drop members who have two or more self-defense incidents. Unlike police departments, we also do not withhold our members from executing self-defense in its various forms. Means of self-defense, such as various firearms, martial arts, knives or bats, and self-defense methods, such as choking, are not prohibited.”
Campbell said self-defense cases can cost as much as $400,000.
Attorney Don West, CCW Safe’s Certified National Trial Counsel, served as co-counsel representing George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. The incident occurred in 2010. The jury acquitted Zimmerman on the premise of self-defense.
West explained the critical importance of firearm owners finding certified weapons training instruction. He explained judge and jury views on firearm owners who have invested in responsible gun ownership and understand the techniques of de-escalation and other self-defense measures.
“If the defender had good training and acted consistently with that training in the self- defense response, it’s generally accepted that the jury will be more likely to agree that the person acted reasonably. In some circumstances, the instructor can be called as a witness to explain the nature of the training and importance of being properly trained when undertaking the grave responsibility that comes with carrying a firearm.”
In some states, issuance of a concealed carry weapons permit requires proof of certified firearms training, but no training is legally required for guns which are reserved for home protection. But to strengthen a self-defense case should it occur, West advocates firearm training for all weapons owners.
On CCW Safe’s website, www.ccwsafe.com, Darter, Campbell, West and others discuss on videos various aspects of self-defense to foster informed, responsible gun ownership.
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