CCW Safe Specializes in Self-Defense Legal Services

Discharging a firearm in a self-defense situation has profound ramifications. Even a fully justified discharge will undergo legal scrutiny, a sometimes lengthy process that can get really expensive. CCW Safe is a self-defense legal service membership company founded by retired law enforcement officers and an attorney. Through a subscription, it covers expenses such attorney's fees, investigators, and expert witnesses, and it also offers resources such as training, emotional support, and other benefits, depending on the plan selected. Founded by retired police officers Mike Darter and Stan Campbell and attorney Kyle Sweet, it evolved out of a desire to offer the public the same caring, comprehensive service that police officers receive when they've acted in self-defense in the line of duty. Since 2011, the company has worked to extend that care and personal attention to every member who has experienced trauma associated with acting in self-defense to protect themselves and their families.

“Our plans are designed to cover unlimited criminal and civil defense costs,” says Garrett Hardesty, affiliate manager and member services specialist. “This means any attorneys, expert witnesses, and private investigators are paid for by us with no cap. We will get you the best experts money will buy on your side. We also take care of things like bail if arrested, crime scene cleanup, counseling sessions, wage loss during trial, firearm replacement, and so much more. Our plans are designed for members not to endure out-of-pocket expenses for their defense; we take care of all of it. We had a member go through a murder trial where we spent just over $400,000 to successfully defend him. The only cost to him was his membership fee.”

Self-defense laws vary greatly from state to state, but even in “Stand Your Ground” jurisdictions, someone who discharges a firearm in a self-defense situation will probably need competent legal counsel. Hardesty agrees.

“Even in places with Stand Your Ground laws, it is not uncommon to be arrested following your incident, depending on where it occurs and the facts of the case,” he says. “We had a member in a Stand Your Ground state who made multiple attempts to get away from the incident. He ended up defending himself, but was still charged with murder. Stand Your Ground laws can help, but in most cases, you still do have to go through the legal process, especially if you discharge a firearm or injure/kill someone.”

Hardesty emphasizes that Stand Your Ground does not give you a “free pass,” and such events are evaluated on a case by case basis. When an incident does occur, what does CCW Safe recommend as a first course of action?

“First, make sure the scene is safe,” he says. “If you need to find a safe place, leave. We always recommend that members notify law enforcement/911 as soon as possible following a self-defense incident. In law enforcement's eyes, at the start of the investigation they typically see the first person who reports the incident as the victim. Second, only give basic information (i.e., here is where I am at, I had to defend myself, and I need medical attention). After you get first responders on their way, members are instructed to call our emergency hotline, which will connect them with an attorney in an attorney-client privileged conversation. This will start all of our resources to support the member.”

An important aspect of CCW Safe’s coverage is its Critical Response Team. “Our Critical Response Team is something that truly sets us apart,” Hardesty says. “As soon as we get the call to the emergency hotline, a text is sent out to our Critical Response Team. This team is made up of Gary Eastridge and Cris Cunningham. Gary retired as a homicide detective in Oklahoma City. In addition to being the chief DA investigator for the Oklahoma County DA's office, he was involved in an on-duty shooting as well. Cris Cunningham also retired from the Homicide unit, but has investigative experience with many types of violent and non-violent crimes. After that call comes in, the team stands by and is on the next plane out to the member. They walk the member through the entire process, provide peer support, and help arrange all the support and resources that CCW Safe brings to the member. This team goes above and beyond for our members. There have been cases where the member’s home is a crime scene, so our team will get them a nice hotel, buy them new clothes, and make sure they get the help they need.”

Currently, CCW Safe offers nine separate plans, each of which is tailored to the individual needs of the subscriber.