Pax Team teaches Torquay residents to handle home invasions

An ex-policeman is schooling participants in firearms and taking down burglars during home invasions — against the advice of the region’s top cop.

Ex-policeman Steve Bowman, who served with Victoria Police for three decades. founded PAX Team to “empower” people. Picture: PAX Team

A local business created by an ex-policeman is schooling participants in firearms and teaching people to take down burglars during home invasions.

But Victoria Police strongly advises residents not to engage with offenders who break into their home.

Pax Team, whose name means peace in Latin, currently offers courses that combine self-defence techniques with law enforcement legislation and, in some instances, firearms training.

Founder Steve Bowman served 30 years with Victoria Police, including 17 years in the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT).

He said he felt motivated to “empower” civilians by showing them the “tools of the trade”.

“The reality is that you will be on your own when confronted with a situation,” he said.

“We want to educate and train you so that if somebody breaks into your home in the middle of the night … you can defend yourself and your kids.”

The business is made up of ex-police officers who have served in CIRT, Special Operations Group (SOG), Tactical Operations Unit (TOU) and even the Australian Army’s Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).

The PAX Team logo found on their website. Picture: PAX Team

Mr Bowman said the programs benefited from “hundreds of years” of knowledge.

“We can just … cut straight to the chase,” he said.

“We know what works, we’ve seen what works, and we’ve made it work.”

“Anybody who wants to learn about how to use the … laws afforded to them in the exact same context that we used them at work, can.”

Pax Team also offers customers a “visible pathway” to gun proficiency through obtaining a firearms license and joining a pistol club.

Mr Bowman said exposing civilians to guns would “open their minds” to the possibility of a career in law enforcement.

He did not say that they should be used for the purpose of self-defence.

“Firearms don’t just jump up out of the safe by themselves, they are to be respected and we teach accordingly,” he said.

He said recent session “blew the minds” of attendees, who had travelled from as far as New South Wales.

“This hasn’t been done before, it’s the first of its kind in Australia as far as we know,” he said.

However, Geelong and Surf Coast police superintendent Michael Reid said law enforcement did not want locals “confronting offenders” because of the potential for “tragic consequences”.

“Your belongings can be replaced, however your life and those of your loved ones cannot,” he said.

“In any situation, your safety is the priority – if you find yourself confronted or in danger, call police as soon as possible and get to safety.

“Local police are patrolling the Greater Geelong area around the clock and will respond rapidly to any triple-0 calls for assistance.”

Mr Reid said that while people do have the right to defend themselves, it had to be “in proportion” to the threat they faced.

Originally published as Pax Team teaches Torquay residents to handle home invasions