Forged in Experience

Gregory Sampson

Founder & Lead Instructor

Gregory Sampson is the founder and lead instructor of Paladin Training Services LLC, bringing over two decades of law enforcement and military service, specialized unit command, and professional training experience to every course he delivers.

Gregory retired as a 1st Sergeant with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police after more than twenty years of sworn service spanning patrol, specialized units, first-line supervision, and command. He served as Commander of the Training Unit, overseeing entry-level training, continuing education, and the Firearms Unit. He closed his career as Assistant Commander of the agency's Central Command Detachment.

Gregory commanded the agency's Crisis Negotiation Team from 2020 until his retirement, having served on the team since 2012, and attended the FBI Annual Hostage Negotiation Seminar for more than a decade of consecutive years. This practitioner-level expertise in high-stakes communication directly informs his de-escalation and conflict resolution curriculum.

He continues to teach beyond Paladin as an ASP Instructor Trainer, an adjunct instructor for the Community College of Baltimore County, and an instructor delivering Military Sealift Command and U.S. Coast Guard approved training through Samurai Security Operations.

Before his law enforcement career, Gregory served as a United States Marine Corps Corporal, completing both infantry school and the Marine Security Guard (MSG) School — the program that trains Marines to protect U.S. assets around the world. He was assigned to the 4th MEB and deployed overseas, serving in environments where the threat of terrorism was not hypothetical but ever-present.

During his service, Gregory trained Marine and Navy personnel in marksmanship, physical security, and anti-terrorism measures — his first experiences as an instructor, and ones that shaped his approach to training ever since. The Corps instilled in him a belief that preparation is not optional, that standards exist for a reason, and that the quality of instruction directly determines whether someone is ready when it matters most. That belief is the foundation on which Paladin Training Services was built.

Gregory has held more than fifteen active instructor certifications. He is an ASP Tactical Weapons Instructor Trainer, an FBI Defensive Tactics Instructor, an NRA Law Enforcement Instructor, a Force Science Realistic De-Escalation Instructor, and a certified Civilian Response and Casualty Care Instructor through Texas A&M/ALERRT. He's held instructor credentials from Gracie University, the U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, Axon, SABRE, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions, among others.

He holds a Master of Science in Transformational Leadership from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University, both earned with a 4.00 grade point average.

Paladin Training Services is built on three core values: Excellence, Professionalism, and Character. Every course, every consultation, and every interaction reflects them.

Recognition & Awards