ABOUT LIONHEART

Operational Expertise Meets Professional Instruction

Who We ARe

About Lionheart

Building Better Instructors. Developing Better Officers.

Lionheart is comprised of two specialized divisions dedicated to advancing law enforcement professionals through relevant, performance-driven training.

  • Lionheart Law Enforcement Training LLC (Lionheart LET) serves as South Carolina's exclusive provider of the Law Enforcement D.R.A.W. School curriculum, delivering the Advanced Handgun Instructor and Advanced Patrol Rifle Instructor certification courses with full South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) equivalency for state firearms instructor certification.
  • Lionheart Tactical Training Group LLC (Lionheart TTG) provides advanced law enforcement instructor development and specialty tactical programs designed to enhance officer performance, leadership, and operational capability in today's policing environment.

Founded by Mark McGougan and Caleb Shropshier, both veteran law enforcement professionals, firearms instructors, and tactical operators, Lionheart was established with one mission:

To develop instructors who develop exceptional officers.

Every course we teach is built upon real-world experience, proven performance, and an unwavering commitment to professionalism, safety, and excellence.

Why Choose Lionheart?

Proven Instructor Development

Whether you are becoming a certified firearms instructor or expanding your expertise into specialized tactical disciplines, Lionheart provides comprehensive instructor-level training designed to prepare you to teach with confidence and credibility.

Performance-Based Training

We don't train for entertainment.

Every lecture, drill, and practical exercise is purpose-built to improve decision making, technical proficiency, leadership, and survivability. Our training is measurable, repeatable, and directly applicable to the realities of law enforcement.

Safety Without Compromise

Safety is the foundation of every Lionheart program.

From classroom instruction to live-fire ranges and tactical exercises, our instructors maintain the highest standards of firearms safety, risk management, and professional conduct.

Real-World Experience

Our instructors teach from experience—not theory.

Every program is developed from years of patrol operations, SWAT deployments, firearms instruction, leadership, and instructor development. Students leave with practical skills they can immediately implement within their agencies.

Our Training Divisions

Lionheart Law Enforcement Training LLC

As the sole certified provider of the Law Enforcement D.R.A.W. School curriculum in South Carolina, Lionheart LET delivers:

  • Advanced Handgun Instructor Certification
  • Advanced Patrol Rifle Instructor Certification

Both programs carry full SCCJA equivalency, allowing successful graduates to earn South Carolina state firearms instructor certification while learning modern instructional methods, coaching techniques, and advanced shooting principles.

Lionheart Tactical Training Group LLC

Lionheart TTG focuses on advanced instructor development and specialized tactical training for law enforcement agencies.

Current instructor programs include:

  • Red Dot Sight (RDS) Instructor Course
  • Ballistic Shield Instructor Course
  • Breaching Instructor Course
  • Servant Leadership Course

Additional specialty tactical programs continue to be developed to meet the evolving needs of today's law enforcement professionals.

Our Founders

Mark McGougan and Caleb Shropshier have devoted their careers to serving their communities and developing fellow law enforcement officers.

Their combined operational, instructional, and leadership experience forms the foundation of every Lionheart course.

Lionheart exists to raise standards—not lower them—by producing competent instructors, confident leaders, and highly capable officers who are prepared to serve with professionalism, integrity, and courage.

Our Mission

To equip law enforcement professionals with the knowledge, skills, mindset, and leadership necessary to perform at the highest level while developing the next generation of instructors who will continue raising the standard across the profession.

Train With Purpose.

Train With Confidence.

Raise the Standard.

Mark

Mark McGougan

Co-Founder/Lead Instructor

Mark is an 11-year USCG veteran and a homegrown local to Charleston. During his time in the USCG he was a Maritime Enforcement Specialist with more than 9 years directly involved with USCG Maritime Law Enforcement operations. Most notable for being an Airborne Use of Force Precision Marksman and Precision Marksman instructor (CG sniper) who's primary mission, from a helicopter, was disabling noncomplaint vessels smuggling large quantities of narcotics.

Mark also became certified in many training schools such as Basic Tactical Operations Course, Nationally Registered EMT, and Advanced Life Saving / Live tissue school.

Mark honorably left the USCG to pursue his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and became a Police Officer for the City of Charleston (CPD) where he was awarded top shot at both SCCJA Police Academy and CPD's Police Academy. He was a patrol officer for a couple years before leaving to become an Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston SC.

Mark currently works as a Federal Maritime Law Enforcement Instructor for the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy in Charleston. There he instructs multiple classes such as ground defensive tactics and shoot house tactics/procedures.

Caleb Shropshier A.K.A. Shrop

Co-Founder/Lead Instructor

Shrop is an active Law Enforcement Officer with over 15 years of Law Enforcement experience and is currently serving as a Patrol Sergeant. Throughout his career, Shrop has worked in Unifrom Patrol Uniform Patrol, the Neighborhood Resource Officer Unit, Intelligence Led Policing Unit (Full-Time SWAT), and the Training Unit.

Shrop is an active SWAT Team (10 Years) member. His current role is Team Leader and Training Coordinator. He has held many different roles as a SWAT Team operator to include shield operator, breacher, less lethal, and Team Lead.

Shrop holds numerous instructor and professional certifications, including National Rifle Association (NRA) certified Rifle Instructor, International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) Pistol Instructor, Taser Instructor, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) Driving Instructor, SCCJA Defensive Tactics Instructor, Sage Dynamics certified Red Dot Sight Instructor, and Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) certified Active Shooter Instructor. Shrop is also certified through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Specific Skills Instruction (SSI) and Basic Instructor Development (BID).

Shrop has completed advanced training including the Hostage Rescue Tactics (HRT) program at the Government Training Institute (GTI), South Carolina SWAT Summit in Columbia South Carolina, and the Charleston City Police Department Basic SWAT School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina at Aiken.