Schools Director and Instructor of Mounted Police Training Academy Inc.

Sgt. Michelle Pearson retired from The Orlando Police Department after 21 years of service.  She served in multiple areas of the department such as patrol, bike unit, problem oriented policing, marine patrol and the mounted unit.  She retired as sergeant over the mounted patrol unit.

Michelle graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, and earned her Masters Degree in Criminal Justice through the University of Central Florida.

During her career with the Orlando Police Department, Michelle held positions of field training officer, training sergeant, the lead instructor of the mounted unit.  Michelle also served as a regional mounted instructor in Florida.

Her specialties are unit management, tactical operations, community relations, and equitation. 

Michelle studied equitation under Jerry Mayo of RCMP and Col. Gaston Ventevogel of the Belgian Gendarmerie.  She also studied mounted police techniques by attending the Geiser Equine Mounted Instructors course.  Michelle continued her equine education with instruction by Gibb Stepp.

Some of Michelle's more memorable assignments included: guest appearance in the Extreme Horseman featuring Tommy Turvey, multiple VIP and dignitary mounted protection details, and helped in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina in Pass Christian Mississippi.

Col. Gaston Vintevogel Ret.

Retired from the Belgian Gendarmerie (National Police) after 32 years of service. He supervised the country’s 275 member Calvary Unit, specializing in crowd control and anti-terrorism.

Gaston commanded the Royal Mounted Escort, a ceremonial mounted unit consisting of 135 horses and riders. He also served as Secretary General of the Belgian National Equestrian Federation, as well as Chief of the Belgian Equestrian Team for the 1996 Olympic Games, held in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Gaston has competed Internationally in Stadium Jumping, 3-Day Event, and Dressage, as well as instructing the same. 

He has been teaching Mounted Police schools and clinics in the United States since 1994.  His specialties are equitation, crowd control and selection of the police horse.







Sgt. Chris Laster

President & Chief Instructor Mounted Police Training Academy, Inc.

Sgt Chris Laster is currently the Sergeant of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, FL Mounted Patrol Unit and has served in that capacity for 13 years.  He has been in the mounted unit for 23 years.  

As a 24 year veteran, he  has served in the patrol division and is also in the Aviation Unit. Chris has supervised other Special Operations units including K-9, Marine Patrol, Reserve Unit, and Agricultural Units.  Chris serves as the mounted unit supervisor and trainer of mounted operations.  He is a former EMT Paramedic and a United States Air Force Veteran.

Chris has been teaching mounted police schools nationally since 1997. He began as an instructor with National Mounted Training and became a lead instructor with Geiser Equine in 1998 teaching Southern Police Institute Mounted courses worlwide. He  serves as a Regional Mounted Instructor in Florida. 

Having taught with and studied under Col. Gaston Vintevogal of the Belgian Gendarmerie for many years, Chris is MPTA's Senior and Chief Instructor. His specialties are Equitation, Dressage, Starting and Managing Mounted Units, Budgeting, Mounted   Patrol Techniques and Mounted Defensive Tactics.

Chris has worked mounted patrol for numerous large scale events in which thousands of people attended including Super Bowls, college football games, Republican National Convention, regional and state hurricane deployments.  He has experience with the National Incident Command System and has been trained in managing large scale events. 

Chris's passion is keeping mounted patrol units relevant in 21st century policing.  He has experience in implementing Intelligence Led Policing for mounted units as well as Rightful Policing Strageties.      



 Lt. Austin Provost (Retired), Senior Instructor MPTA 

 Retired from the Lafayette Police Department in Lafayette, Louisiana.  A 20 year veteran of the department, Austin retired as the Mounted Unit Supervisor and trainer.  He was involved in the development and creation of the departments mounted unit in 2005 and has since had the privilege of having his unit be the model for other units in the state of Louisiana.  He is a United States Marine Corps Veteran.

Austin has served as a patrol officer, was a member of the "ACTION" Unit, (a specialized unit focusing on controlling drugs and prostitution in the high risk areas of Lafayette) and was a member of the SWAT team for 14 years. He retired from the SWAT team in 2007 but he continues his involvement with the team in an instructional capacity as firearms instructor, sniper instructor, and rappel master.

Austin has personally owned, raised and trained horses for over 25 years.  In that time, he has spent many hours learning all he can about horses.  His specialty is equine psychology.  He also provides riding lessons and horse training to individuals in the private sector, specializing in horses with bad habits, or who are suffering from fears due to previous bad experiences.

Austin studied equine policing techniques by attending the Geiser Equine Training, Southern Police Institue Mounted Instructor Course in January 2007. Since that time, he has instructed throughout the country. He currently serves as a Senior Instructor for MPTA.