Guns and Glitz helps Central Texas women take control of their personal safety

By Elizabeth Finkenbinder | Photos courtesy of TammyJo McCleney

Guns and Glitz seems like a contradiction in terms when you first hear it. One might conjure up a mental picture of an elegant television spy who pulls a gun from the holster strapped to her leg under a sequined gown. The reality is that it is a shooting club started in 2015 because veteran Texas police officer TammyJo McCleney wanted to help women feel empowered and safe.

McCleney, better known as TJ to her friends and family, was a regular customer at a hair salon and often heard the customers talking about safety issues and stories of break ins and other invasions of privacy.

After some thought, she decided to post on Facebook about a women’s night out with the possibility of learning to shoot as an activity. When she arrived, she was greeted by 130 women who were eager to learn the art of shooting. That night turned into a meet and greet, and McCleney said she felt a bit overwhelmed with the sheer number of women who showed up.

She had many personal contacts with friends in various police forces and from her time running the CHIPS program for the Belton Police Department, so she contacted them and asked for help.

McCleney grew up in Oklahoma, one year of that time spent on a reservation because her mother is half Native American. Her family moved to Killeen for about a year when she was younger, and she graduated from a high school in Texas. Her mother worked in health care administration in a mental health facility and McCleney would spend time there talking with parole officers and other criminal justice personnel, which piqued her interest in the profession.

After graduating from the Travis County Sheriff’s Academy and the Austin Police Academy, McCleney worked for the Austin police force for 10 years, including some time as a detective. In 2012, she got the idea of starting a shooting club for women. She wanted to teach proper use of firearms so women wouldn’t feel scared but instead empowered. Thus Guns and Glitz was born.

Even though she resides in Giddings and works as a police officer in Moulton, McCleney decided that a gun range in Killeen would be a great locale for the club, so she made arrangements with The Gun Range, which is located on Fort Hood Street. The interest was so widespread that she had to call on many friends to help.

The first class includes a “new shooter briefing” on the gun range rules and firearm safety. Many women share personal stories about why they decided to learn to shoot. McCleney tells students, “It’s OK to be scared in the beginning. It would be strange if you weren’t!” She wants to help them get back personal peace and live a quality life that feels safe.

Ladies who wish to join can do so for $16 a month or they can pay $20 per session to try it out. Some guns are provided, but each participant must bring their own ammunition. New shooters are required to wear a red name tag. More experienced shooters wear a blue tag to help the instructors distinguish between students and know their levels of experience. The instructors range from military officers to law enforcement and even professional shooters. The classes take place every fourth Monday of the month from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Gun Range in Killeen.

Prospective students can contact McCleney on the Guns and Glitz Facebook page to register.

Even though McCleney is a decorated and experienced police officer with many awards under her belt, she did not grow up in a family of law enforcement officers, so she completely understands the fear of guns. She encourages her instructors to treat each woman with the utmost respect and understanding as they gain confidence with firearms. She hopes to give each of these women a sense of personal strength as they learn to shoot because she considers each of them to be an important part of the Guns and Glitz family.