About Personal Defense Training

Your Instructor
Kelly Park has been a licensed Minnesota Peace Officer since 1997. He is a Minnesota BCA Certified Permit to Carry Instructor and a former member of the Crisis Negotiation Team for the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office.
Originally from the Iron Range in northern Minnesota, Kelly is a lifelong resident of Minnesota and has lived in the Brainerd Lakes area and been in law enforcement for over 26 years. Kelly has been a full-time deputy with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office for the past 22 years. He has previously served as a police officer in the cities of Staples, Crosby, Baxter and Cuyuna. Kelly recently retired from Cuyuna, where he served for nearly 23 years. Kelly and his wife, Jill, have three adult children and reside in the Brainerd Lakes area with their two dogs, Bella and Charlie.
Our Story
Personal Defense Training was founded by Ben Rudrud in 2013 with the purpose of providing a quality Minnesota permit to carry class taught from a law enforcement officer’s perspective. In December of 2018, Kelly Park became the owner, continuing the tradition of training and educating people on gun safety.
