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Qualification classes for
retired officers are now available through the
Georgia Public Safety Training Center in
Forsyth. This training is offered in a four hour
block on an as needed basis. There is a
reasonable fee for this service. For information
or registration, contact Ernie Tobin by email at
etobin@gpstc.state.ga.us or by phone at
478-993-4332.
HR 218 is federal legislation that allows active
and qualified retired law enforcement officers
to carry concealed anywhere in the country. The
potential problem in Georgia was that active law
enforcement officers were not required to meet
an annual firearms qualification. This wasn’t a
problem for active officers; however, it was a
major problem for retired officers desiring to
carry under HR 218.
Effective January 1, 2006, POST Regulation
464-5-.03.1 established a state mandated annual
firearms qualification standard for Georgia
peace officers. The annual standard that every
officer will be required to meet is the current
minimum standard established for the basic
mandate class for the POST certification under
which you are presently employed. For example,
the current basic law enforcement mandate
training class requires candidates to shoot the
Georgia Semi-Auto Pistol Qualification Course
(http://www.gapost.org/pdf_file/gsac05.pdf),
so city and county police officers and deputies
must meet this minimum annual standard. Other
POST certification programs may require
something else.
The new regulation is as follows:
“464-5-.03.1 Annual Firearms Training
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Each person
employed or appointed as a peace officer
shall, as part of the annual training required
by O.C.G.A. 35-8-21, satisfactorily complete
during each calendar year the annual firearms
training mandated by this rule. The failure by
any peace officer to attend and successfully
complete the training required by this rule
shall result in the loss of that officer’s
power of arrest, as set forth in O.C.G.A.
35-8-21(d).
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Annual firearms
training shall, at a minimum, consist of two
hours of training provided by a POST-certified
firearms instructor, which training shall
include, but not be limited to:
1. training on the Constitutional and legal
limitations on the use of deadly force;
2. training on the agency’s policies regarding
the use of deadly force; [and]
3. a demonstration of proficiency in the safe
and effective use of the primary handgun
carried and/or used by that particular
officer, to include a course of fire that
meets or exceeds the minimum standard set for
qualification in the basic law enforcement
training course for which the officer was
initially trained and is currently employed.
In any instance where an officer has more than
one peace officer certification, the higher
standard shall apply. Any officer failing to
achieve the required score in the above
training may undergo additional courses of
fire under the direction of a POST-certified
firearms instructor in order to achieve a
passing score.”
Any retired law enforcement
officers (as defined by HR 218) may meet the
federal standard by completing the above minimum
training from any POST certified firearms
instructor and filing the appropriate paperwork
with POST. This form can be found at
http://www.gapost.org/pdf_file/requal_app.pdf.
The instructor is required to complete the
bottom half of the POST form and the retired
officer completes the top portion. A copy of
your retirement credential and a $15.00 check or
money order must accompany your application to
POST.
Any questions you have on this subject most
likely will be answered on the POST website link
at
http://www.gapost.org/requal_faq.htm.
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