The Pacific Institute of Defensive Tactics (P.I.D.T.) was established by Rod Sanford in 1983. The Institute offers a wide range of police tactical courses both on-site and throughout the State. Most courses are P.O.S.T. certified.

After graduating in police science Rod Sanford joined the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office in 1968. He served as a patrol deputy, field training officer and sergeant. He worked in the main jail as a sergeant for a short while but spent most of his career as a patrol sergeant. He was a member of specialized units including the search and rescue team, dive (SCUBA) team, mounted posse, and received training as a K-9 handler. He served on the Sheriff's tactical (riot) team and became an instructor for that team. He was also a team leader for the special weapons & tactics (SWAT) team and the bomb team.

Because of his martial arts background Mr. Sanford became the department’s defensive tactics instructor in 1969 and continued to teach in that capacity for over 25 years. He also taught firearms, officer safety and car stops for the sheriff’s department. As the department’s defensive tactics instructor he had the opportunity to study in-depth many systems of defensive tactics. From the F.B.I. system to the Koga Method and others, he studied varied techniques and philosophies.

Mr. Sanford left the Sheriff’s Office to teach law enforcement tactics on a full time basis. In 1983 he founded the Pacific Institute of Defensive Tactics. He is currently the president and director of training for the Institute. For a number of years he taught the Koga Method but gradually the P.I.D.T. Method became recognized as one of the legitimate comprehensive systems used throughout California. Today (through his Institute and as an instructor and consultant for a number of police academies and law enforcement agencies) he teaches the P.I.D.T. Method which includes integrated use of force training, arrest and control, self defense, tactical communications, altercation patterns, baton tactics, officer safety, crimes-in-progress, car stops, firearms, crowd control and civil disobedience, passive demonstrator tactics, emergency response team, defensive tactics for corrections and other related tactical training. These courses are taught on a basic, in-service and instructor level.

Mr. Sanford regularly works with the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) as a subject-matter-expert. He has helped develop guidelines, objectives, and tests in the areas of use of force, defensive tactics, civil disobedience, car stops, firearms and related subjects. He is a well known author on police tactics and has developed a series of books, training manuals and police training videos on arrest and control, self defense, altercation patterns and baton tactics.

Mr. Sanford has studied adult education through the University of California and holds a California Community College Instructor’s Credential. He has developed an extensive instructor training program in the P.I.D.T. Method that is offered through his own Institute as well as through police academies and colleges. In 1994 Mr. Sanford was nominated for the California Governor's Award for his contributions to law enforcement training.

After graduating in Police Science Mr. Sanford became a patrol deputy with Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office in 1968. While with the department he worked as a patrol deputy, field training officer, detention sergeant and patrol sergeant. He had a number of specialized assignments which included: Search and Rescue Team, Dive (SCUBA) Team, Tactical (riot) Team, Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team leader, Bomb Team leader, Mounted Posse, Patrol Dog (K-9) program, Defensive Tactics instructor, Firearms instructor and Officer Safety instructor. Throughout most of his career with the Sheriff’s Office he was an operations sergeant (patrol supervisor). Mr. Sanford left the Department to establish the Pacific Institute of Defensive Tactics and to teach law enforcement tactics full time.

Mr. Sanford began teaching defensive tactics for the Sheriff's Office in 1969 and continued to do so up until 1998. In 1973 he met and trained with Robert Koga. He continued an extensive study of the Koga Method in Arrest Control Techniques, Baton Tactics, High Risk Contact Response, Crowd Control, Emergency Response Team and Car Stops until 1994. In 1978 he completed the Federal Bureau of Investigation's first Law Enforcement Self Defense Instructor's course. As the sheriff’s department’s defensive tactics instructor he had the opportunity to study in-depth many systems of defensive tactics. He has continued to study varied techniques, systems and philosophies up to the present time.

In 1983 Mr. Sanford founded the Pacific Institute of Defensive Tactics (P.I.D.T.). Although he initially taught primarily the Koga Method by the early ‘90’s the P.I.D.T. Method had become recognized as a system within itself. Today he teaches the P.I.D.T. Method which includes integrated use of force training, arrest and control, self defense, tactical communications, altercation patterns, baton tactics (straight, expandable straight, side-handle and riot batons), officer safety, crimes-in-progress, car stops, firearms, crowd control and civil disobedience, passive demonstrator tactics, emergency response team, defeat the grappler, defensive tactics for corrections and other related tactical training. He teaches these courses on a basic, in-service and instructor level through his institute, police academies, colleges and to local, State and federal law enforcement agencies. Most courses are taught through the Perishable Skills Program.

Mr. Sanford studied with the F.B.I. in their SWAT program, both on a team and command level. He has completed firearms instructor and advanced firearms instructor training and training in the tactical use of chemical agents. He has completed bomb and terrorist activities training with the F.B.I., U.S. Army, Attorney General’s Office, Department of Justice and the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators. He received dignitary protection and security unit training with the Department of Justice. He has also studied adult education through the University of California and holds a California Community College Instructor’s credential. In 1986 he published his first book, Arrest Control Techniques And Baton Tactics, and in 1999 his book Law EnFORCEment, Reasonable Force Options was released. He has developed a number of specialized training manuals and videos for law enforcement.

Mr. Sanford has regularly worked as a subject-matter-expert with the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards And Training (P.O.S.T.) in the areas of use of force, arrest and control, baton tactics, car stops and civil disobedience. He has assisted P.O.S.T. in developing curriculum, training manuals, tests and video training tapes. For example, in 1996 he was a consultant and tactics expert for California and Arizona P.O.S.T. and helped develop "Controlling Violent Subjects" Part I and II. Part I covered hands on control of violent subjects. Part II covered non-lethal weaponry including the use of chemical agents, baton, electronic controlling devices and the use of the carotid control hold. In 1997 he worked with P.O.S.T. to develop their Car Stops tele-course. And in 1997/98 he worked with P.O.S.T. to develop guidelines and a tele-course on Managing Civil Disobedience. He has also participated as a subject-matter-expert in the P.O.S.T. Firearms and Tactics program. In 1994 Mr. Sanford was nominated for the California Governor's Award for his contributions to law enforcement training.

The P.I.D.T. training center is located in Soquel, California, just four miles south of Santa Cruz on the Monterey Bay and forty minutes from San Jose International Airport. Our 6,000 square foot facility consists of a main floor training area that is 2,000 sq. feet and covered with wall to wall Swain Tatami mats- the gold standard in flooring systems for this type of training. Very comfortable and spacious for all phases of physical tactical instruction and practice.

Our top floor training area is 1,200 sq. feet. This space is primarily used for lectures and presentations. This room will comfortably accommodate 30 students. Coffee, tea, water, and simple snacks are provided daily for participants.