Mansfield University Home PageThe Basic Force Options Course was designed to provide essential grounding in acceptable law enforcement techniques for any constable who is not certified to carry a firearm by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). It consists of 40 hours of basic firearms training and qualification. It is available to constables who have completed the 80-hour Basic Training Course and have acquired a certification number.
BASIC FIREARMS QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION
The 40-hour Basic Firearms course consists of a series of lectures, laboratory activities, and practical exercises that provide a basic understanding of the safe manipulation of a service revolver or semi-automatic pistol. It starts with the presumption that the participant has little or no formal training. The course stresses safe handling techniques, proper cleaning, correct weapons handling skills, and marksmanship. The constable will be exposed to firing in reduced light and to interactive judgmental shooting scenarios.
Successful course completion will require passing all practical exercises and tests and demonstrating proficient, safe weapons handling skills. The constable will be required to complete a series of stage assessments and to fire a minimum qualification standard on the Constable Qualification Course (CQC). The CQC is divided into two stages. A shooter must qualify on each stage with a score of at least 75%. The shooter who fails to pass on of the stages will be permitted to repeat the stage on which he or she did not meet the 75% threshold. This will be the shooter's one remedial attempt to qualify.
At the conclusion of the course, the constable will:
- Be proficient in the practice of all procedures relating to the safe handling of firearms on duty, during training, and at home
- Know how to identify by name the parts of a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol, be able to perform function checks on them, and clean them
- Understand firearms ballistics
- Know what mental preparation for potential lethal confrontations entails
- Know the fundamentals of handgun marksmanship
- Demonstrate the techniques used for handgun presentation, low ready position, and holstering
- Demonstrate the techniques used to unload, load, chamber/press check, and decock the revolver
- Demonstrate the techniques used to load, chamber/press check, decock, unload, and perform tactical and speed reloads of the semi-automatic pistol
- Demonstrate the techniques used to clear revolver and semi-automatic pistol malfunctions
- Know and demonstrate the techniques used for handgun retention
- Understand the techniques used to shoot a handgun in low or reduced light
- Understand the techniques used to engage targets and handgun shooting positions with and without barricade
- Demonstrate knowledge of the components involved in justifying the use of deadly force by successfully completing judgmental training
- Demonstrate mastery of course material by achieving a score of 75% or better on all practical and written exercises
- Achieve a primary qualification score of 75% or greater on the Constable Qualification Course with his or her duty weapon
Necessary equipment for the constable participating in Firearms Training:
- Appropriate service handgun of one of the following calibers: 380, 38 Special, 357, 40, 45, 9mm, 10 mm
- Appropriate reloading device (at least two speed loaders or two magazines)
- Minimum of 60 rounds of service-type ammunition for qualification (50 rounds for five-shot revolvers)
- Duty belt, holster, and flashlight suitable for reduced-light exercises
- Eye and ear protection, baseball cap, and clothing suitable for inclement weather