A short-term missions trip designed to both train and evangelize Costa Rican police officers opened Ryan and Gretchen Rought’s eyes to a new ministry potential.
The model struck a chord. Ryan, a police officer, and Gretchen, a Spanish teacher, recognized God’s leading and moved with their two young daughters to Costa Rica in 2006 to begin a similar, full-time ministry: TACTICA (Teaching Authorities Christian Truth in Central America).
In cooperation with local governments, the ministry offers free, high-quality professional training to police and other first responders. Given the increase in drug trafficking, migration challenges, and violent crime in Central America, this kind of cutting-edge training is desperately needed. In most cases, the police receive only minimal instruction before being placed in the field.
TACTICA instructors are believing police officers or military veterans from the US who volunteer their time.
“We now have around 300 who have served as instructors,” says Ryan. Each week-long course includes 40-60 local officers. Training includes typical law enforcement, emergency medical, and first responder fare.
The difference is TACTICA’s focus on the gospel. Explains Gretchen, “On the first morning, they receive a welcome package that includes a Bible and a devotional called My Tactical Time With God.”
Instructors incorporate spiritual examples into the training and transparently share testimonies of how they found hope in God and healing for past hurts. Twice daily, they break into small groups for a Bible study using the devotional. Topics touch on marriage, family, prayer, pornography, PTSD, and more.
Participants are challenged to memorize Bible verses from a list of 99 and earn points they can exchange for donated police gear. In their first-ever training in Panama, one officer memorized all 99 verses by Thursday!
During the Panama training, 12 out of the 40 officers accepted the Lord. They stood publicly in front of the entire class to acknowledge their commitment.
Even after the class is over, discipleship continues.
“Each instructor keeps in touch with participants,” says Ryan. They meet one-on-one and in virtual large-group sessions via Zoom.
“We work with local churches wherever we go,” explains Gretchen, “to ensure those who make a decision for Christ can be planted.”
TACTICA also offers counseling, support, and ministry to the whole family. Gretchen shares that after each training, using the information gathered from registrations, “I’m on the phone for days reaching out to the spouses and families.”
In addition to regular police trainings in Costa Rica, TACTICA has expanded to include ABWE missionaries serving first responders in Ecuador, Panama, and the US, with plans to reach other Latin American nations.
TACTICA instructors provide tactical medical training for police officers throughout Latin America. Photo: ABWE personnel
