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    Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors

    Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors are certified indefinitely by MPOETC to conduct annual qualifications for law enforcement officers.

    Application

    Individuals who have successfully completed formal training as a law enforcement/police firearms instructor and wish to be recognized by MPOETC as a  Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor should submit an application with supporting documents through the Training and Certification System (TACS). 

    Please reference the Keystone Login Guidelines for assistance with your TACS login.

    Applicants must meet the following requirements for eligibility as a Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor:

    • Must be a certified law enforcement firearms instructor with an approved organization (example:  National Rifle Association, Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, etc.)
    • Must either be a resident of Pennsylvania or conduct firearm qualifications for retired law enforcement or active police officers in Pennsylvania
    • Certifications must be current and valid.  Expired certifications will not be accepted

    The Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor application can be found in the My Profile section of a user’s TACS account.  

    After certification

    Once approved by MPOETC, instructors are authorized to conduct annual qualifications for active duty police officers and retired law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania.

    Instructors who wish to be listed publicly (as annotated on the application) will be added to the RLEIA Firearms Instructor list. Instructors who no longer wish to be included on the list should contact ra-smpmo_firearms@pa.gov requesting removal from the list.

    Instructors are responsible for locating and obtaining approval to use a range appropriate for conducting qualifications.

    Qualification cards

    Instructors are required to issue standardized qualification cards and are authorized to charge a fee for conducting qualifications.

    Ordering RLEIA qualification cards

    RLEIA qualification cards will be provided to instructors as a personalized digital template if the instructor selected the option to download and print cards within the application. Instructors who have not yet requested a personalized digital card may continue to use the previously issued blue qualification cards. Instructors may request a personalized digital card template at any time by logging into their TACS account and selecting the My Profile tab. There will be an option to download the cards and pay a fee of $2. 

    Printing qualification cards

    Instructors will receive a 2-page digital PDF document that contains a FRONT and BACK page for the Qualification Card.

    • The cards can be printed using regular white Avery 5371 business card stock
    • When printing, select CUSTOM SCALE 100% to fit the card stock
    • Print on both sides of the card stock, either by using a duplex printer or by printing the FRONT first and then turning the page over and printing the BACK

    Filling out qualification cards

    When filling out a Qualification Card for an officer, the instructor should add a sequential number where the old card number used to be. This number should start at 1 for the first person the instructor qualifies and will increase by one for each subsequent qualification. The “card number” that gets documented on the Retired Officer Concealed Carry Acknowledgement Form will match the Qualification Card and should consist of the instructor’s unique number followed by the sequential number. This tracks how many qualifications the instructor has completed (starting at 1 with the move to the new card).

    Before Qualification

    Instructors should keep blank copies of the Retired Officer Concealed Carry Acknowledgement Form on hand in the event retired officers do not bring one with them. Once the retired officer has completed the acknowledgment form, instructors should record the required information on the qualification card and have the officer sign the qualification card. Before allowing the retired officer to fire, provide refresher training on safe firearms handling procedures and the general principles of justification.

    Qualification

    Have the retired officer complete the required qualification course of fire. Once the retired officer has successfully completed the course of fire, document the required information on the acknowledgment form. Remind the retired officer of their responsibility to take the qualification card to the Sheriff’s Office for a confirmation number.

    Documentation

    Within 30 days of conducting the qualification, instructors must forward a copy of the completed acknowledgment form to MPOETC. Instructors are required to retain a copy of the completed acknowledgment for at least one year from the date the qualification was conducted.

    Scanned copies of completed forms should be emailed to RA-SPMPO_FIREARMS@pa.gov.

    Replacement cards

    Instructors can replace qualification cards that have been lost, stolen, destroyed, mutilated, or are illegible. The retired officer must complete a new acknowledgement form and the instructor should complete a new qualification card. The new qualification card will contain the same information as the original and will expire on the original date. Instructors should annotate “replacement” under course/rounds fired. Instructors can charge a fee to the retired officer for replacing qualification cards.