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National College Credit Recommendation Service

Board of Regents  |  University of the State of New York

New York City Police Department | Evaluated Learning Experience

Firearms Instructor School

Course Category: 
Length: 

Version 1: 97 hours. Version 2: 120 hours. 

Location: 
Rodman’s Neck Range, Bronx, NY 10464
Dates: 

Version 1: June 2013 – May 2023. Version 2: June 2023 - Present. 

Instructional delivery format: 
Traditional classroom model
Learner Outcomes: 

Version 1: Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:  discuss the duties of a firearms instructor, shooting fundamentals, instructional techniques, firearms nomenclature, New York State requirements and legal issues and demonstrate pistol proficiency. Version 2: Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: perform the duties of a Firearms Instructor and will demonstrate proficiency in/with firearms safety; the safe and proficient use of revolvers; care, cleaning, maintenance, inspection, and troubleshooting of police firearms; shooting fundamentals; duties of a police firearms instructor; ammunition and ballistics; holsters and equipment; trauma & post critical incident treatment; duties and responsibilities of tower and line instructors; fundamentals of semi-automatic pistol operation, the safe and proficient use of semi-automatic pistols; instructional techniques; legal issues; use of force; range maintenance; range design; shooting course design; health and safety concerns for Firearms Instructors; the safe and proficient use of shotguns; combat courses; low light shooting techniques; the safe and proficient use of conducted electrical weapons; and the safe and proficient use of O.C. Spray.

Instruction: 

Versions 1: Major topics taught in this course include: theory, guidelines, and practical use of pistols, O.C. spray and conducted electrical weapons, the use of force and legal issues, firearms instructor duties and responsibilities, instructional techniques; including tower and line instructors, firearms nomenclature, range safety, gun cleaning, ammunition defects, health and safety concerns; including lead safety, personal protective equipment, and post trauma treatment. Version 2: Instruction is offered through classroom instruction, hands on practice and coaching, required and supplemental reading, practical exams, and written exams. Major topics include: fundamental gun safety rules, safety at range facilities, prevalent reasons for accidental discharges, revolver nomenclature, the revolver manual of arms, care and cleaning of revolvers, the master eye check, shooting fundamentals, desirable attributes of a Police Firearms Instructor, roles played by a Police Firearms Instructor, methods to augment professionalism, semi-automatic pistol manual of arms, ammunition components, appropriate ammunition for NYPD firearms, the fundamentals of ballistics, recognition of defective ammunition, qualities of safe holsters, care of holsters and related equipment, emergency planning, diagnosing wounds, treatment of traumatic injuries, critical incident aftercare, duties of tower and line instructors, duties of a safety officer, range procedures, range commands, semiautomatic pistol design and operation, the domains of learning, the teaching and learning process, conducting skill demonstrations, instructional techniques, target analysis, keys to reducing risk, New York State laws and regulations regarding firearms instruction, case law, documenting training, critical decision making, the 4th amendment standard, use of force, conditions required for resisting arrest & OGA, principles of judicious firearms use, documenting use of force, shooting course design, range design, range maintenance, lead exposure, OSHA requirements/ right to know, use of ear and eye protection, care and cleaning of semi-automatic pistols, inspecting revolvers, inspecting semi-automatic pistols, police shotgun familiarization, combat courses, low light shooting techniques, Taser operation, Taser use guidelines, characteristics of O.C. Spray, O.C. spray use guidelines, and O.C. Spray decontamination protocols. Prerequisite (version 1 and 2): Methods of Instruction.

Credit recommendation: 

Version 1: In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 3 semester hours in Criminal Justice (6/18). Version 2: In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 4 semester hours in Criminal Justice (6/23 revalidation).

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