Jesse Noriega

Jesse Noriega is a Master Peace Officer with the San Antonio Police Department and a fourteen-year veteran of the department’s Special Operations Unit (SWAT)—a position earned through performance, discipline, and a career defined by stepping into the worst moments so others don’t have to. With 25 years as a peace officer, Jesse’s operational footprint spans every corner of patrol work, including service as a patrol rifleman and Field Training Officer. Before joining SWAT, he served as a tactics instructor at the SAPD Police Academy and is a certified TCOLE Firearms Instructor, shaping new officers with the standards expected of those who want to survive real violence.

Long before wearing a Texas badge, Jesse wore the uniform of a United States Marine. He served as an explosive K-9 handler and a member of a Special Reaction Team, taking on assignments that demanded precision, aggression, and absolute control under stress. He also instructed Marines in Close Quarters Battle and Less Lethal Tactics—skillsets he would later refine and employ throughout his law-enforcement career. As a Marine Corps Reservist, he deployed twice: once as an Infantry Platoon Sergeant in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and again as an Infantry Platoon Commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Combat leadership forged the clarity and decisiveness, that continue to define Jesse’s approach to training.

These experiences—combat, patrol, instruction, and over a decade of full-time SWAT—give Jesse a rare perspective on what officers actually face on the street. His training doesn’t focus on surviving; it focuses on winning. Every course he teaches is built on the mindset, tactics, and decision-making required to dominate deadly encounters, not just endure them.

Certifications and a detailed resume are available upon request.

Gary Ellis
Civilian Instructor

Our friend and co-worker, Gary Ellis, knows the tactical prowess involved with handling pistols rifles & shotguns, both on and off the battlefield. He believes that being a good (all around) shooter and decision maker in modern day America is not only a sound goal to gravitate towards, but also an intelligent way to conduct oneself.  Gary is a twenty-one year veteran of the US Armed Forces; fourteen  years Navy and seven years Army. Ten of his Navy years were spent in the coveted halls of the SEAL Teams and most of his Army career found him as a pilot; a pilot in the front seat of a Blackhawk at the 160 th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, in Fort Campbell Kentucky.

He deployed sixteen times; some were short hauls and some long…and walked away with most of his health. He loves to embellish that he crept around the world with some of the coolest dudes on the planet.  Gary retired form the military in 2014 and lives with his family in San Antonio. He’s humble about his background and sports a grateful attitude when it comes to interacting with and helping other shooters from all walks of life.

For many years he played to win…and he’d like to see you train to win too.  Gary’s trained with award winning shooters in his career and insists that fundamentals come first…and last: hold one another accountable for excellent safety standards on the range and always stick to the basics for good shooting, accurate shooting, and safe weapons handling so that the good guys win, and the bad guys loose.  Gary holds a baccalaureate degree in General Studies (Aviation Concentration) from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches LA…which has absolutely nothing to do with being a competent shooter.

James “Andy” Flowers
Senior Instructor

James “Andy” Flowers retired from the San Antonio Police Department after 31 years of honorable, hard-earned service—and he brings every one of those years into the way he trains, leads, and prepares officers for violence. Andy spent the majority of his career exactly where real policing happens: in patrol and on the sharp edge of special operations.

As a Patrolman, Andy served as an Operator on SAPD’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) and later the SWAT team, where he took part in countless critical incidents, high-risk warrants, barricades, and dignitary protection missions. After promoting to Detective and working auto theft, he was elevated to Sergeant and immediately brought back to SWAT—this time as a team leader responsible for 13 Operators. In that role he continued to run to the sound of trouble, directly engaging in critical operations while shaping a team built for mission success.

Andy’s impact didn’t stop in the field. He later took command of the Training Academy’s “Skills” Section—firearms, tactics, EVOC—the heart of officer survivability. Under his watch, every new SAPD cadet and every sworn officer moving through in-service training was forged with higher standards and combat-relevant instruction.

After retiring, Andy continued serving the next generation of officers as a law enforcement continuing-education instructor at a regional academy. He maintains a relentless commitment to professional growth, consistently training with industry leaders and staying dialed in on current tactics, case law, and best practices.

A TCOLE Firearms Instructor and TEEX Patrol Rifle Instructor, Andy delivers training with the experience of a man who has lived the job at every level—operator, detective, supervisor, and instructor. He is passionate about sharpening officers’ skills and decision-making so they can win the fights he’s already survived.

Formal resume and certifications available upon request.

Nic Garza
Lead Law Enforcement Instructor

Nic Garza is RDI’s lead law enforcement instructor and one of the driving forces behind the company’s tactical training philosophy. He started his career in the design world, but it didn’t take long for him to realize his real purpose wasn’t behind a desk—it was standing between good people and the violence waiting for them. Sixteen years later, Nic has carved out a career defined by service, precision, and a relentless pursuit of tactical excellence.

With seven years as a full-time SWAT operator in Texas, Nic has been forged in the realities of high-risk operations. His expertise spans the core pillars of modern tactical work: vehicle takedowns, night-vision tactics, SCBA integration, and advanced red-dot optic development. He holds instructor-level certifications in firearms, red dot optics, CQB, and NVG employment, along with numerous advanced SWAT and sniper-related courses that shape the way he trains and leads.

Nic operates with a mindset built on performance under pressure. He’s competed, he’s deployed, and he understands exactly what it takes to walk into a room with uncertainty and walk out in control. His ability to break down complex tactics into practical, fight-winning skillsets makes him a force multiplier for officers at every level.

Most importantly, Nic is driven by the responsibility to build officers who can think, decide, and prevail in deadly encounters. His mission is simple: sharpen their mindset, elevate their skill, and prepare them to win when everything is on the line.

Rene Salas

Rene Salas is a master peace officer with over 21 years of law enforcement experience.  Rene is currently assigned to the Executive Protection in San Antonio, Texas. His previous assignments have been patrol, SAFFE Unit and spent 8 years as a tactics instructor at the Academy. Rene is a TCOLE instructor and a firearms instructor.

Rene is also a 3rd degree black belt in Muy Duk Kwon Tang So Do and has currently taken up Brazilian Ju Jitsu. Along with martial arts Rene has a passion for teaching and passing along whatever knowledge he can.

Shaun Roberds
Lead Instructor, North East Texas Division

Shaun Roberds is the driving force behind RDI’s North East Texas training operations—a patrol-bred, street-tested instructor who built his reputation on performance, not theory. With years of law enforcement service, Shaun has worked the grind of the Patrol Division and risen as a trusted instructor, shaping officers to fight, win, and go home alive.

His skill set is rooted in real-world necessity: firearms instruction, defensive tactics, ballistic shield employment, and red dot optic integration. Shaun also brings nearly a decade of government contracting experience, working alongside multiple agencies and sharpening his understanding of operational demands across mission sets.

As an instructor, Shaun has trained everyone from beat cops to federal contractors to civilian defenders, delivering no-fluff, combat-relevant instruction tailored to each group. He’s played a decisive role in building his department’s ballistic shield program and roll-call training framework, and he rebuilt their firearms program from the ground up to produce more confident, more capable shooters.

Shaun’s mindset is simple: training isn’t a checkbox—it’s survival. His relentless push for higher standards, advanced skill development, and mission-focused instruction makes him a force multiplier for any agency he touches and a cornerstone of RDI’s expansion across Texas.