Personnel subject to the Department’s on-duty handgun qualification requirements shall shoot within their alphabetically-assigned month. Any deviation from an employee’s alphabetically-assigned qualification month shall be authorized, in writing, by the employee’s Unit Commander. Such authorization shall include the specific month or months applicable.
Shooting assignments are based on the last name initial as follows:
|
Last name begins with letters: |
Shall shoot in the months of: |
|
|
|
|
A through F |
January, April, July, and October |
|
G through N |
February, May, August, and November |
|
O through Z |
March, June, September, and December |
During the first quarter (January-March), all armed personnel shall report to a Department mobile range to shoot a Standard Handgun Qualification with their primary on-duty handgun and achieve a passing score. A minimum passing score is 70 out of a possible 100 points.
Sworn personnel are also required to pass the Standard Handgun Qualification annually with all optional Department authorized handguns which they have been certified on and intend to carry. This will normally be done during the first quarter. Passing the Standard Handgun Qualification with an optional Department authorized handgun will qualify the Department member for the remainder of the calendar year. Personnel who fail to qualify with any optional Department-authorized handgun shall be prohibited from carrying the handgun until they have passed the Standard Handgun Qualification, even if outside of the first quarter. Once qualified, the Department member will be authorized to carry that handgun for the remainder of the calendar year.
During the second, third, and fourth quarters (April-June, July-September, and October- December), armed personnel shall report to a Department range and participate in a Handgun Combat Course with their primary on-duty handgun. Participation in the Handgun Combat Course in the employee’s assigned month will constitute compliance with this policy.
The Department Rangemaster may authorize other courses of fire that will fulfill the basic shooting requirement.
Overtime pay for fulfilling the shooting requirements can be claimed only with the prior approval of the employee’s Unit Commander and when this requirement cannot be scheduled during on-duty hours.
Exemptions to the basic shooting requirements outlined in this policy include, but are not limited to:
NOTE: Authorization to carry a handgun off-duty for sworn personnel who are exempt from the basic shooting requirements shall be given on a case-by-case basis.
A pregnant employee shall automatically be exempt from shooting requirements upon submission of a Certification of Pregnancy form (SH-AD-648). This exemption shall remain in effect until thirty (30) days after the employee has returned to duty following her maternity leave of absence.
Armed personnel who did not meet the minimum shooting requirements due to an approved exemption shall immediately shoot and pass the Standard Handgun Qualification when the exemption is no longer applicable. This shall be completed within seven calendar days of the Department member’s return to work.