I have about 650 hours of firearms and self-defense training, much of it with nationally-recognized schools and instructors.

The quality of training I’ve received from Aqil and Tiffany is the equal of the very best.

The amount of effort, experience, expertise, and heart they put into each interaction shines through clearly.

I’ve been teaching officially for ten years (unofficially for 20+), and every time I am around Tiff and Aq I learn amazingly new wisdom to pass on to my own students.

In my opinion, they are the gold standard for firearms training.

Tim Reedy

I just experienced​ 3 days​ of instructions from Mr. Qadir and Ms. Johnson, and I couldn't say anything bad about the training even if I lied. I recommend them for anybody on any level. Great training, great and helpful instructions, these guys really know their stuff. I carry for a living and their basic pistol course was very enlightening for me. I had a GREAT weekend experience.

CSA provides a great environment to learn. Safe, friendly, and incredibly thorough and knowledgeable, I couldn't recommend them more highly.

The class was outstanding. I am a newbie, so I was a little aprehensive to take this class. Aqil was very professional and knowledgeable. He put everyone at ease and answered all of our questions. The class was very organized and thorough. I will be taking more training classes in the future. Thank you!

Great course - Great instructors! I attended the Basic Pistol course and every minute was used effectively and efficiently. The classroom portion reinforced the live-fire portion of the course.This course is designed for everyone regardless of your level of experience. If you just want to learn more and become more aware of firearms... I think this is a good place and course to start with.

I learned so much from taking this class. I have never even shot a gun before but after taking this class my target shot was 98%. The instructor Aquila really cares about you knowing above and beyond just what you need to know to get a permit. He was an amazing teaching, and for this being my first time handling a gun, he made me feel very comfortable. If you haven't contacted Citizens yet......what are you waiting for? Come learn from the best! Thank you for helping me to learn how to protect what I love most in this world!

Aquil is a Great instructor! I will recommend Citizens Safety Academy to anyone seeking to learn about firearm safety the right way! My husband and I had a great time and awesome experience!

There is no better place for a new shooter to start. I have trained with some of the best trainers in the country and no one does a better job with new shooters, especially nontraditional students that are often overlooked and underserved by the training industry.The trainers at CSA bring a wide range of skills and life experiences to the table, which help them to reach people who did not grow up with firearms. They are also teachers at heart, who want to see their students succeed.

Ryan, did an amazing job teaching and training. We had fun and learned a lot. Thank you!

Aqil was great! He helped me to feel very comfortable handling the firearm, and gave very clear and knowledgeable answers to all of my questions. I totally recommend taking a class with him and his instructors. Thanks a lot!!

This is a great class, very organized and the instructors were great. I really got a lot out of it. Look forward to taking other classes here.

My husband and I drove over an hour to take the Concealed Carry class with Ryan and David!! These guys are AWESOME! They made the class time fun and we learned more than we could have imagined. They were very knowledgeable, thorough, and had a great sense of humor. We highly recommend Citizens Safety Academy!!!!

I can't say enough good about Aquil and Tiffany. Their knowledge, enthusiasm, and professionalism are top-tier. I can't think of a training I've gained more from in 30 years of taking classes.

Really amazing training with the instructors very engaging with the class.

The Enhanced Carry Permit class here was amazing! It was super thorough & informative. Ryan & Tiffy are hilarious while at the same time great at conveying the SERIOUSNESS of being a RESPONSIBLE gun owner. If this is something you're interested in & you want to learn from ppl that really put the time in to take the courses & obtain the certifications to teach CORRECTLY so that you are set up for success, you can't go wrong with this place 💜💙

The CSA training team is amazing!! They are truly invested in their students' success! Their reputation brought me 500 miles to train with them, and I will definitely be back!!!

Aqil was the instructor. He was very thorough and I had no problem understanding the material. If I had a question, he answered it. If I didn’t understand something, he would explain it in a different way and give examples of it. The classes were very informative. The range work was very thorough. All the safety and emergency procedures were explained before we even touched the weapon. Once started, if we were having a problem, he was able to tell or show what it was. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants an armed guard license. If I need other classes, I would go there again.

The class was very good! Both instructors made me feel comfortable- never once felt intimidated or had fear! As a student my voice was heard! If I felt nervous or had a question at any time- the instructors immediately stopped and changed all that! I would definitely take classes with citizens safety academy and would highly recommend it!

Very knowledgeable staff! Aqil knows his stuff and can teach it to anyone. I will recommend taking his courses to all family members. You cannot go wrong under his instructions!

The women’s on target clinic at CSA was a fun and great experience! Tiff and Aqil are excellent, knowledgeable and very efficient instructors!Overcoming a traumatic experience with guns in the past, I have been very hesitant with handling a gun. The woman’s on target clinic was not only a comfortable, friendly, structured environment the all the instructors have an excellent knowledge base, professional, skillful, and supportive. They really care about the students success and learning. I felt safe and developed a sense of skill that helped me overcome some of my anxiety, gain confidence and to feel empowered about my safety. I’m looking forward to taking more classes. If your looking for a great experience and ready to learn a needed skill for you and your families safety, I highly recommend taking a class or classes at CSA.

 great instructors, training, culture and just all around good people to work with!

This is the class to take! Aqil makes you feel so comfortable and safe. He's amazing. His years of experience make him a great instructor. Looking forward to taking more classes from him.

Instructor is very knowledgeable and made the class enjoyable. I plan on attending more of his classes.

This was the best time spent on handgun safety to earn a permit to carry! I plan on using the services much more in the future. The instructor earned my trust immediately. I have no reason to look any further for firearm training or advice.

 Simply put, the staff at CSA are absolutely superb. Friendly, professional, and knowledgeable, they have the kind of high standards that will make you into a better (and safer) shooter. Whether you've never touched gun in your life, or you're trying to find room for your 2nd gun safe, the Citizens Safety Academy is the place for you. Many thanks to Tiffany, Aqil, Ryan, and Jam for the excellent service and professional instruction.

 I cannot say enough for the team of fantastic instructors at Citizens Safety Academy. The level of comfort and encouragement that these men provided was exceptional. As a first time attendee and complete novice to gun safety, my fears have been eased and brain filled with knowledge and experience. I look forward to learning more for this great group of instructors and people. Thank you, Ryan, Jam, and Aqil.

If you are looking to learn to enhance the safety of yourself and your loved ones, CSA is THE place to go! Not only did Aqil teach me the skills I needed to save my job, he taught me a skill set that could potentially save a life. Is there a better set of skills to have? Go see him!

 My REVIEW is a BLOG I just wrote = 5 STARS!!! https://thecompletecombatant.wordpress.com/2018/10/18/in-a-nut-shell-refer-attend-tiffany-johnsons-nra-women-on-target-clinic/

Just went through the handgun safety course yesterday, far more comprehensive and professional than I might have expected. I highly recommend Aquil and staff for all the thorough information imparted during the class as well as at the range. Great job gentlemen. Folks this is the place to go
To have all your fears removed.

 Each lesson empowers me to continue to master myself in all areas, not just safety.

Very knowledgeable and professional instructor! Highly recommended!

Joe Porter
Certified NRA Instructor & NRA Training Counselor ( Instructor's Instructor)

Definitely worth your time regardless of being a newbie or someone who is familiar with firearms. Go see Aqil, Marv, and Tiff at CSA. They are all attentive and informative. You won’t regret it. I am a CCW permit holder from CO and needed the TN handgun safety course to apply for my CCW here in TN. Some of the textbook info was a refresher, but I also obtained some very constructive feedback that helped me tweak my grip and stance while shooting. I plan on taking more advanced courses in the future to put some of these techniques into practice. �

 This is an extremely interesting and well run course. The teaching techniques are outstanding, I have been an NRA Certified Training Counselor for more than 40 years and found this course valuable in improving my techniques and learning newer ways of helping students to learn. Well worth the investment.

 Fantastic instructors, hilarious, with the know-how to back it up. Both are Rangemaster grads, and still pitch in with Tom Givens’ events. Go find a class. You won’t regret it!

 I had a good time and learned alot, all of the instructors were great, go there! you won't be dissatisfied

I am someone that has been afraid of guns and gun culture for a while. I knew that if I was going to find a place to learn I wanted it to be a safe and supportive environment led by people that know their stuff and can meet students where they're at. I am so happy I decided to do my carry permit class at Citizens and I will definitely be back for more advanced classes. They took the time to make sure each student was comfortable and the instruction was top notch and professional.

One of the most highly educated firearms instructors in the country, with a gift for teaching!!

 The staff is well versed in personal security and convey that knowledge to the students efficiently. They use the combination of books, training aids, and PDF presentations for their classes. Aqil Qadir, Tiffany Johnson, and Ryan McCann are very enthusiastic instructors. I like them both professionally and personally.

I worked and trained with Aqil. He is an awesome guy and Amazing trainer. People that take his class are well informed and well trained. Best of luck in the future!!

Aqueel is the best! Great instructor and all around great guy! I was able to pass my Requalification test for my employer to land a awesome job! I recommend him to anyone especially the ladies if your not good with shooting.

If you really want to learn carry a gun and defend yourself go to Citizens safety Academe aqil Qader h's a more than wonderful teacher and everyone who works with him really learned a lot This guy does not let you go before you understand everything honestly...
With thanks and appreciation.

 If you're looking for a fun and knowledgeable class to get your gun permit, this is the one to pick! My dad and I learned a lot and had a fun time while doing it. The 8 hours went by quick.

 My experience at CSA was outstanding. It was the best money spent on myself in a long time. I received top notch training from professionals and personal attention on things that needed correcting. The staff was very professional and yet approachable. By the time I left class, I learned the information I came for and gained confidence in my skill, even if I did have trifocals, and felt as if I had now access to people who would help me with questions if I needed them.

 Took my TN Handgun Carry permit class today. What a great class and the instructors are top notch. They took time to answer any questions we had in the class and on the range. I will be taking more classes with CSA! So happy I picked CSA to take my class.