Zachary Claar

Professional Experience

Law Enforcement Officer (Patrol Officer – rotating days/nights)
Norfolk Police Department, Norfolk, VA | Jan 2016 – Jul 30, 2025
• Led incident response for high-risk and time-sensitive situations, applying structured protocols to protect public safety — skills directly transferable to crisis management, threat response, and security operations.
• Executed detailed investigations involving evidence collection, chain of custody, and documentation; parallels audit processes, compliance oversight, and investigative reporting.
• Testified in General District, Circuit, and Federal courts, producing accurate and legally sound reports — demonstrating expertise in documentation, accountability, and communication under scrutiny.
• Applied risk assessment and rapid decision-making to mitigate volatile situations; equivalent to threat detection, mitigation, and operational decision-making.
• Collaborated with multi-agency teams and coordinated joint operations, enhancing communication and teamwork across diverse stakeholders — transferable to leadership roles, cross-departmental coordination, and security operations.
• Enforced laws, regulations, and constitutional protections, aligning with policy-driven frameworks and compliance standards.
• Served full career on Crowd Management / Riot Control Team, conducting large-scale public order operations, protest response, and tactical coordination under high-pressure conditions.

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Relevant Training & Education

Norfolk Police Department Law Enforcement Academy – Recruit Class 98
Completed July 14, 2016 | ~875 Hours of Training
• Investigations & Compliance: Accident, Burglary, Homicide, Narcotics, Domestic Violence, Economic Crime, Computer Crimes & Digital Evidence, Crime Scene Procedures.
• Incident Response & Crisis Management: Active Threat Response, Hostage Negotiation, Hazardous Materials, Tactical Trauma BLS, Terrorism Response, Special Incident Reporting.
• Courtroom & Documentation: Report Writing, Written Correspondence, Mock Trial Presentations, Testimony Preparation.
• Community Policing & Leadership: Cultural Diversity & Bias Policing, Ethics in Policing, Juvenile Law, Victim/Witness Program.
• Crowd Management & Riot Control: Specialized training and operational deployment in protest management, tactical formations, dispersal strategies, less-lethal munitions, and coordinated response throughout career.
• Firearms Training (250+ hours): Pistol, Shotgun, Patrol Rifle (M4/Remington); tactical shotgun, live-fire simulations, marksmanship, low-light engagement, use of deadly force. Consistently scored 84–100% in weapons qualifications.
• Defensive Tactics & Hand-to-Hand Combat (110+ hours): Weapon retention, ground defense, control techniques, restraints, takedowns, baton use, pressure points, and scenario-based combat.
• Technical/Analytical Training: Radar School (Traffic Enforcement), data calibration, monitoring and interpretation.

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Key Skills
• Incident Response & Threat Mitigation – Coordinated immediate responses to live threats, ensuring safety and continuity.
• Evidence Collection & Forensics – Skilled in secure handling of evidence, documentation, and chain of custody.
• Risk & Compliance Management – Strong understanding of applying legal and regulatory frameworks in complex environments.
• Leadership & Communication – Experienced in courtroom testimony, cross-agency collaboration, and report writing; effective communicator in high-stakes environments.
• Operational Security (OpSec) – Trained in undercover/covert operations, adversarial mindset, and riot/crowd control tactics.
• Crowd Management / Riot Control – Tactical public order management, protest response, and coordination of large-scale security operations across entire career.
• Firearms & Defensive Tactics – Extensive tactical training demonstrating discipline, precision, and readiness under pressure.

• Participated in ongoing training opportunities to stay current on best practices, maintaining a high level of expertise within the field of law enforcement.
• Displayed sound judgment under pressure when making critical decisions that impact public safety during emergency situations.

Business & Brand Management Experience

Founder & Brand Manager – Iron Hooligans Apparel
Jan 2020 – Present | 5 Years
• Business Leadership & Operations: Founded and scaled a lifestyle/fitness apparel brand from concept to execution, managing all aspects of business operations including sales, inventory, customer service, and long-term growth strategy.
• E-Commerce & Logistics: Operated Shopify storefront; processed hundreds of orders, coordinated shipping logistics, packaging, and customer fulfillment with accuracy and efficiency.
• Marketing & Social Media Management: Directed all digital marketing, including paid ad campaigns, organic growth strategies, and content calendars across Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms — achieving consistent engagement and follower growth.
• Brand Representation & Community Growth: Recruited, trained, and managed brand ambassadors/athletes, building a grassroots marketing network that expanded sales reach and strengthened brand loyalty.
• Creative Direction & Design: Designed product mockups, tech packs, and promotional graphics; managed apparel customization including in-house screen printing and garment finishing to ensure quality and brand consistency.
• Product Development & Manufacturing: Managed full apparel lifecycle — from design concepts, sourcing, and tech pack creation, to coordinating with domestic and international manufacturers for bulk production and quality assurance.
• Screen Printing & Production: Operated professional screen-printing equipment (multi-station presses), mixed inks, created screens, and executed production runs for branded merchandise and custom orders. Ensured color accuracy, curing quality, and consistency across product lines.
• Project & Campaign Management: Launched seasonal drops, coordinated sales campaigns, and organized giveaways/athlete partnerships, ensuring deadlines and budgets were consistently met.
• Financial Oversight & Strategy: Handled budgeting, ad spend, pricing, and reinvestment strategies to drive sustainable growth.
• Leadership & Team Management: Directed a network of creatives, athletes, and contractors (designers, printers, manufacturers), demonstrating strong leadership, delegation, and collaboration skills transferable to team-based roles in security and corporate environments.