HR 218

Retired LE Firearms Qualifications

Pursuant to the “Federal Law Enforcement Officer’s Safety Act of 2004”, (HR 218) the Titusville Police Retirees, in coordination with the Titusville Police Department, offers annual firearms qualifications course and certificate for qualified retired police officers and federal officers.

A “qualified retired law enforcement officer” is defined as an individual who:

1. separated from service in good standing with a public agency as a law enforcement officer;

2. before such separation, was authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and had statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under section 807(b) of title 10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);

3. before such separation, served as a law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or more; or separated from service with such agency, after completing any applicable probationary period of such service, due to a service-connected disability, as determined by such agency;

4. during the most recent 12-month period, has met, at the expense of the individual, the standards for qualification in firearms training for active law enforcement officers, as determined by the former agency of the individual, the State in which the individual resides or, if the State has not established such standards, either a law enforcement agency within the State in which the individual resides or the standards used by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State;

5. has not been officially found by a qualified medical professional (employed by the agency) to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health and as a result of this finding will not be issued photographic identification; or has not entered into an agreement with the agency from which the individual is separating from service in which that individual acknowledges he or she is not qualified under this section for reasons relating to mental health and for those reasons will not receive or accept photographic identification;

6. is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance; and

7. is not prohibited by federal law from receiving a firearm

The Titusville Police Department uses the standard Florida State 38 round qualification course for pistol qualifications.

Stage 1 - Time required: 6 seconds Rounds required: 6
Starting at the 1 yard line shooter, make ready and holster their pistol. On the signal, they will assume a compressed, one-handed shooting position and engage in the target with three rounds. They will then take a step back to the left or right and re-engage in the target at full extension with another three rounds.

Stage 2 - Time required: Two strings of 3 seconds each Rounds required: 4
Start on the 3 yard line on the center line of the target in the compressed ready position. On signal, the shooter will step to the left and engage the target with two rounds in three seconds, then recover back to the center line of the target and assume the inside ready or compressed ready position once more. On the start signal, they will step to the right and engage in the target with two rounds in three seconds. Once done, recover back to the holster.

Stage 3 - Time required: Two strings of 5 seconds each Rounds required: 6
Begin on the 3 yard line, pistol loaded and holstered. On start signal, draw, step to the left and with the primary hand only, fire three rounds within five seconds, then recover back to the center line of the target.

Switch the pistol to your support hand and assume the inside ready position. On the start signal, step to the right and fire three rounds using your support hand in five seconds. When finished, switch the pistol back to the strong and recover back to the holster.

Round count at the end of Stage 3 =16

Stage 4 - Time required: Two strings of 5 seconds each Rounds required: 4
Start at the 7 yard line with your pistol loaded and holstered. On the start signal, draw and step to the right and engage with two rounds, then recover back to the holster and return to the center line of your target. On the start signal, step to the left and engage the target with two rounds in five seconds. then recover back to the holster.

Stage 5 - Time required: 20 seconds Rounds required: 12
Shot from the 7 yard line. A reload is mandatory at some point during this string of fire. On start signal, step to the right and engage the target, perform a reload at some point within the string of fire and engage the target with the reaming rounds (totaling 12), then recover back to the holster.

Round count of Stages 4 and 5 =16

Stage 6 - Time required: 15 seconds Rounds required: 6
Begin on the 15 yard line. On start signal, step to the right and engage the target with 6 rounds, then recover back to the holster.

Scoring - In the past, you needed 33 out of 40 rounds to hit the 4 or 5 zone of a B-21e target, or 80 percent. This new test requires 33 out of 38 rounds to hit the target, which translates to around 87 percent to pass, plus it adds in strong hand only and weak hand only shooting. All in all, it’s an improvement from the previous version, but is still at a level that works well as an introduction to the world of armed self-defense

Videos reviewing the new FL LEOSA (HR218) qualification course.

2024 HR218 Qualification Walkthrough by Tactical Firearms Academy

HR218 FDLE New Qualifications 07012024 by Sumter Sheriff

The course of fire involves drawing from a holster and reloading under time. A suitable holster and spare ammo carrier is required. Rifle and shotgun qualification courses under LEOSA are also available

Hints - Beginning with Stage 1 to the end of Stage 3 is 16 rounds. From the beginning of Stage 4 to the the mandatory reload (after firing the first 6 rounds) in stage 5 is 10 rounds. 12 rounds are requires to finish the course.

Rules for Safe Gun Handling

1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded and know the status of your weapon.

2. Don’t let the muzzle cover anything you don’t intend to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and the decision to shoot has been made.

4. Know your target and what’s behind, in front, to the left and to the right of it. .

Reference Materials

BLUE TO GOLD - LEOSA HR218 Federal Concealed Carry Webinar with Attorney Anthony Bandiero

USCCA - HR218 Information

FDLE - Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act.

FSS - Florida State Statute 943.132

NRA - LEOSA Info

Wikipedia - LEOSA Info