Greg Vecchi

Greg Vecchi

Director of Training

About me


Gregory M. Vecchi, Ph.D. serves as the Director of Research and Training at SafeDefend, where he develops and deploys research- and evidence-based training programs in threat prevention and response. These training programs provide clients with the confidence and skills necessary to manage and survive an active killer threat, especially during the critical gap of time between notification and arrival of first responders.

Dr. Vecchi has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and he is a U.S. Army veteran. He is a retired supervisory Special Agent and Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit and career crisis negotiator. During his career, Dr. Vecchi investigated Russian organized crime, international drug trafficking, international and domestic terrorism, and violent crime. In these positions, he gained extensive experience assessing and interacting with violent offenders, which he incorporates into his research, training, and consultation activities at SafeDefend.

Dr. Vecchi has extensive experience in teaching and training. He is a Professor of Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Homeland Security, where he develops and teaches courses at the master's and doctoral levels. Dr. Vecchi conducts advanced law enforcement training in threat assessment, crisis negotiation, firearms, and defensive tactics and served as an instructor at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He is also a court recognized expert witness in violence, law enforcement policy and procedures, interviewing and interrogation, and confirmation bias.

Dr. Vecchi is currently a reserve Deputy Sheriff with a local sheriff's department, where he conducts training in crisis negotiation, defensive tactics, and firearms. He also responds as a negotiator during barricaded incidents.