Posted: 4/11/2008 2:36:06 PM EDT
What a great time I had this past week. I just completed the Firearms Instructors Course and it was GREAT. SORRY, NO PICS... Once again, a shooting related class was offered but there was light attendance... only 9 of us attended. I went with my Sgt as well as another Sgt from my SO. I just don't understand why more officers don't jump on stuff like this with both feet. I actually won a box of .40 S&W ammo for having the fastest time running a 3-stage course. It went like this: START WITH UNLOADED HOLSTERED PISTOL AND 3 MAGS WITH 4 ROUNDS EACH ABOUT 5 YARDS BEHIND THE 25 YARD LINE... You run about 5 yards to a barrel that is at the 25 yard line, load your pistol and shoot two rounds strong hand, then two rounds weak hand from cover, and reload prior to moving from cover... then move about 10 yards forward/sideways to a barrel at the 15 yard line and do the same as above, then move as described above to the 7 yard line and repeat. TOTAL OF 12 rounds and 3 loads. I finished in 37 seconds with ZERO missed (center target area only counted). If you missed a shot, add 5 seconds. My time was not only the fastest but I beat the previous record (unknown time) that was held by one of the instructors... WHAT A GREAT FEELING  . I felt like I was flying and my reloads were as smooth as silk...I now hope to get involved with my SO's firearms program and maybe start getting some time in at one of the academies in the surrounding area. At least now we (FTO Shift) can start adding some run-and-gun training to our FTO program, my Sgt and I are really looking forward to that. I re-learned just how much fun you can have with ONE box of shells and just how much you can work on reloading skills. It does not take a lot of ammo to do these drills and the rewards and priceless. Hope this does not sound like bragging, I just feel really great right now about myself and my performance... I encourage all road supervisors to consider this type training with their guys/gals. My Sgt now wants me to get some prices together for reloading goodies. Other guys on the shift are ready to pitch in and start shooting as well. |
| I went thru the NRA LE instructor class 5 or 6 years ago. Paid out of my pocket. It was a fantastic. We had 45 or so guys in the class from different depts/agencies/private sector and Glock reps. Thought I knew alot till this class. The wild part was "Rolling thunder" last day of the class where everybody shoots all the ammo they have left, reloading as fast as they can. Seemed like it lasted 5 minutes. Highly recommend any of the instructors classes NRA or other. |
You call the drill and realize they get to go prone in the mud, good times I tell ya good times. |
You've got quite a few years under your belt, don't you? I find it encouraging to see a seasoned guy showing your kind of enthusiasm. I hope your agency recognizes it. Good luck in your new pursuit, I've been teaching firearms and tactics for about 11 years. It's a load of fun. 
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Good for you...we need more instructors with some enthusiam! As to why no more showed up, well, here, once the FI course was cut from the salary incentive program, attendence took a nosedive...which was all the better so far as I am concerned...and most cops simply are not shooters. Try giving 'open range days' and see who shows up. Hint...month after month it will be the same people. |
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Congrats bro. I've been doing it for over 6 years and still love it. A bad day on the range is better then a good day at work. Feel good story. I was asked by my boss to take a CO to the range that had failed his requal with another instructor on his sidearm. He said "don't bring him back until you fix him". He is ex military and has a lot of years in and we have a "history" from back in the military. We don't get along very well. Anyway..I put that aside and away we go. I get him to shoot a stage and don't notice anything that would cause his groups to look like a shotgun round..which they are. To make a long story shorter..I eventually determined he was left eye dominant and he shoots right handed. The problem is..he can't close his right eye and we didn't have enough time for me to teach him to shoot with both eyes open. So..I covered the right lens of his shooting glasses with patches and he shot a perfect score. I told him this was a temp fix and he is going to have to practice and become efficient at shooting with both eyes open. The smile on his face and the huge relief he felt, gave me the best feeling of satisfaction I've had on the range. If he hadn't past, there was a chance he would be stuck in a desk or office type job instead of working security posts. Now when he sees me at work I get a big ass smile and "how are you today?" from him. 
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That's why we have gone from range is voluntary to being mandatory. It's frustrating how many officers dread the range. I even give out a box of ammo here and there trying to get officers to shoot more and many still don't want to. Unfortunately I don't have a big enough ammo budget to give out a lot of ammo. I could double my training budget and still it wouldn't be enough. |
We used to have an open range where LEO and the public could go shoot. Once the SO took it over, you had to use the "two man" rule... no more going shooting alone... I have no problem with that. The SO has really made some nice improvements, concrete pads, covered shelter area, nice target stand set up, etc. Well, low and behold, someone shot up the target stands...  . Now, you can only go IF a certified instructor from OUR agency is with you and NO MORE is it open to the public.This, coupled with the fact I like to shoot and teach, made me realize that now was the time to go after the Instructors Cert. Now, I can take anyone, so long as they are LEO. Now, my Sgt and I can start implementing shooting drills into our FTO program, as our entire shift IS the FTO program (all FTO's are on one shift). Trying to sponsor an open range day in the past has been a total flop... no one wants to show up. That's not cool with me... folks who can't shoot are a liability and add to my risk factor. This is one thing that we are trying to address in our training. We will see how things develop from here. I am going to suggest that we develop several courses of fire and then hold quarterly meets for all the SO employees. Maybe we can spark some friendly competetion, develop better shooters, and bring back pride in marksmanship. |