Course Announcement 2025
Firearms Instructor Course Pre-Qualifier
(PLEASE SCROLL AND SEE FULL FORM)
September 9 & 10, 2025
The Law Enforcement Training Academy will be conducting the pre-qualifier on Sep. 9 & 10, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Amherst Police range on Bailey Ave. Students must successfully fire qualifying scores at the pre-qual to continue on to the Firearms Instructor Course. Courses are attached here. Further questions can be answered by contacting Steve Padin at 716-270-5379 or by e-mail padins@ecc.edu). Those candidates passing the pre-qual will be invited to the Firearms Instructor Course which be held on Sep 15 - 26, held at the Hamburg Police range.
It is not the intent of the Pre-Qual course to train officers to become proficient with their firearm. To be invited to the Firearms Instructor Course (FIC) this proficiency must already exist. If you send applicants who historically have had trouble or are indifferent when it comes to qualifying at your department, or have no interest in practicing, understand they may not get past the Pre-Qual course and proceed to the FIC. Consult your range master to try and send candidates who have a good likelihood of passing. Remember, as per DCJS, any prospective firearms instructor MUST BE IDS CERTIFIED. Please ensure your officer has gone through IDS prior to the pre-qual.
The Pre-Qual course will be held at the Amherst Police Training Facility range located at 4220 Bailey Ave. Six shooting lanes means it will be limited to a maximum of 18 candidates. Initially no more than 2 officers from any 1 department will be permitted, however if the maximum number of participants has not been reached this may be waived. Therefore if you have more than 2 prospects, have the initial 2 register and any additional on “stand by.” To help in this matter REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON Aug 29, 2025. This will give the “stand by” officers several days’ notice. Preference will be given to full time Erie County police agencies.
Departments/Students must supply the following equipment for the Pre-Qual course:
- Department patrol duty weapon, with at least 600 Rds. of handgun ammunition
-Winchester Win Clean
-CCI/Spear – CleanFire TMJ Bullet
-Remington – Remington UMC Leadless
-Federal – Federal BallistiClean TMJ
-Other brands are available, be sure the Primer is Lead Free & the bullet is TMJ
2. 10 Rds. of Dummy ammunition for Duty Weapon
3. Body armor
4. Duty belt and holster / 4 mags / mag pouches / eye & ear pro. Baseball cap recommended
(No tactical gear such as thigh rigs unless that is standard for your uniformed patrol officers)
Please return the attached registration form to the academy:
https://www3.erie.gov/cps/form/firearms-instructor-course-pre-q
– Fax 270-5390 or E-Mail registration (padins@ecc.edu). Should you require further information, please contact Steve Padin at the Academy 716-270-5370 or 716-961-8846.
ERIE COUNTY
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY
FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR COURSE PRE-QUAL
Sep 9 – 10, 2025
Upon successful completion the candidate will proceed to the two week
FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR COURSE HELD ON
Sep 15 – 26, 2025
Enclosed are all the required qualifying courses that will be shot at the pre-qual course. You will be shooting practice drills on day one that are preparatory in content to hone one's shooting skills needed for the qualification requirements of the pre-qual course and later on the Firearms Instructor Program. Continued practice on your own will increase your likelihood of success.
Again I will state, it is not the intention of the pre-qual course to train an officer to become proficient with his or her firearm. To be invited to the Firearms Instructor Course this proficiency must already exist. If you send applicants who historically have had trouble or are indifferent when it comes to qualifying at your department, or have no interest in practicing, understand they may not get past the pre-qual course and proceed to the Firearms Instructor Course. Consult your current range master.
COURSES OF FIRE:
1. NY STATE BASELINE PROFICIENCY HANDGUN COURSE
2. ACADEMY QUALIFICATION COURSE
The NYS Baseline Proficiency Handgun Course must be completed in 35 seconds or less (not 35.01) to move on to the firearms instructor course. HOWEVER, understand, you will be tested again during week 1 of the instructor course and must have a time of 30 seconds or better to continue on in the course. If you fail to achieve the 30 second or less time, you will be dismissed. We feel that 35 seconds during the pre-qual is indicative that the candidate should be able to achieve a time of 30 seconds to pass the actual instructor course.
The academy course must have a 90% score to pass, using the target listed. You need only to pass each course one time in order to move on to the firearms instructor course.
Baseline Proficiency Handgun Course
VER: 1220022
Purpose: This qualification course is designed to be a baseline of handgun skills that shows a level of competency in the operation of a handgun. All the skills tested in this course are skills which are considered hard skills and will be needed by an officer at an unconscious level of competence in a high-stress, rapidly unfolding use of lethal force incident. This course is not intended to cover every skill set needed for these types of incidents and programs must train beyond these skills in order to properly prepare officers.
Objectives: The shooter will test several baseline handgun operational skills including realistic operational engagement distances for the platform, round accountability, multiple engagement patterns, emergency reloads, malfunction clearing, movement prior to engagement, one-handed shooting, holster draw and realistic engagement times. It is important the remember this is just a baseline set of skills and should not be used as the final standard for training, but as a starting point and foundation to competent shooters, so a shooter’s cognitive ability can be used to problem solve and make decisions under stress.
Setup: Each shooter gets 1 DCJS designated target w/ 3 distinct scoring areas (Head, Center, Pelvic). Instructor must use an electronic shot-timer (NOT a stopwatch).
Alternative targets may be permitted if the scoring areas are identical to that of the prescribed target. (4 x 5” head, 11 x 13.5 center of mass, 11 x 6.5 pelvic girdle)
HG Load: 1st with 10 rds., 2nd mag with 2 rds., 3rd mag with 8 rds. First mag will be the 10. The 2 rd. mag will be the next mag loaded during phase 3. At lock-back after phase 3, DO NOT RELOAD. Rack slide forward, after making sure chamber is empty, holster, and administratively insert the last 8 rd. magazine.
Hit Count: Score times from each of the 5 phases are added together for the total time.
• Hits outside designated inlay but still on body of threat (+3 seconds per round)
• Shot wrong inlay (+3 seconds per round)
• Off body of threat: DNQ (remediation of 1 section allowed +3 second penalty must be added.)
• If 2 sections get DNQ – shooter must remediate entire course).
• Remedials of individual sections should be done at the end of the 5 phases.
• If shooter does not DNQ in any of the five phases, they may choose to remediate one of the phases; however, if the shooter chooses to remediate, they must accept the new score for that phase. (For example, a shooter misses the inlay for 3 of 4 rounds for phase 3 resulting in a 9 second penalty. They may remediate that phase to attempt a better score but should only do so if the penalties for the first attempt prevent qualification.) Any remediation automatically results in a +3 second penalty for the remediated phase. If a shooter elects to remediate a stage and DQ’s, the remedial stage is the stage of record.
• All students will have 4 rounds left in their weapon if they need to remediate 1 section.
Scoring: Students: Max Time w/ Penalties Allowed: 40.00 Seconds
Instructors: Max Time w/ Penalties Allowed: 30.00 Seconds
All phases begin on beep of shot-timer.
Phase 1: 10 rd. magazine to start, 2 rd. will be next one loaded
3 yards, draw from holster, 4 rounds (2 center of mass, 2 head).
Phase 2:
3 yards, with flashlight held in support hand, draw from holster, 4 rounds (center of mass)
Phase 3:
5 yards, draw from holster, 4 rounds (2 center of mass, emergency reload, 2 center of mass) Gun will come to lock-back, DO NOT RELOAD. Rack slide several times making sure gun is clear, holster a clear gun with slide forward, administratively insert the 8 rd. magazine
Phase 4:
Set up failure-to-fire should be set up if instructions above were properly followed.
7 yards, draw from holster (no round in chamber), properly address malfunction after receiving “click” feedback upon trigger pull, 2 center of mass, 2 pelvic girdle)
*failure to properly address malfunction (tap then rack) is a failure of this phase.
Phase 5:
Begin at 25-yard line in high-port, holster index position, or holstered. At the beep, run to 15-yard line where target is engaged with 4 rounds center of mass.
IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
• During phase 5, shooters utilizing any carry position, should be properly trained in the mechanics of the chosen position. Proper use of these positions and the safety rules will prevent accident or injury.
• Extra caution should be used when utilizing a holster that relies upon the shooter’s trigger finger to defeat a retention mechanism for the firearm. The use of these types of holsters is strongly discouraged during dynamic or timed shooting events.
This will be the target used for this course. Practice with this or a similar target. Here’s a web address if youy wish to order
https://shop.actiontarget.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=61384C4A6ADA48DA8F478514D44DCD0F
31 Rd. ACADEMY QUALIFICATION COURSE
Target: B-21 XR 50 Foot Silhouette Target (Reduced B-21E from Qualification Targets or Speedwell)
Rounds: 31 rds. total (for depts. using 10 rnd capacity magazines for patrol duty)
Scoring: “K” value / 90% equals 140 raw score
Instructions to Students:
1. Load 1 magazine with 11 rounds, 2 magazines with 10. 11 rnd. Mag will be loaded first.
2. Administratively remove magazine and top off / re-insert magazine / push / tug / sweep
3. Hot line / after command is given to load and holster / students will load on their own upon lock back
4. All malfunctions and reloads are on your own
3 Yard Line 8 rds. / 15 seconds 8 Rd. Total
-On command of “FIRE”, 4 rds. strong hand, 4 rds. weak hand in 15 seconds
(pancake pass weapon, anchor off hand, pass back to strong hand)
5 Yard Line 6 rds. / 12 seconds 6 Rd. Total
-On command of “FIRE”, 6 rds. in 9 seconds (including reload if needed)
(3 rds. Reload 3 rds.)
7 Yard Line 2 rds. / 3 seconds (repeat) 4 Rd. Total
-On command of “FIRE” 2 rds. in 3 seconds
10 Yard Line 2 rds / 3seconds -2 rds / 6 seconds w/reload 4 Rd. Total
-Draw and come to the temple index position
-On command, bring gun to eye level, fire 2 rds. in 3 seconds, scan
-Go to the holster index position
-On command, bring gun to eye level, fire 2 rds. in 6 seconds w/reload, scan & holster
10 YARD LINE 9 rds. / 40 seconds 9 Rd. Total
-On command of “FIRE”
-3 rds. strong side standing barricade
-3 rds. strong side kneeling barricade
-3 rds. support side standing barricade
MAKE WEAPON CLEAR AND HOLSTER