Firearms Instructor Course (50-Hour / 5-Day Course)

Responsibly training law enforcement officers in the use of firearms requires more than shooting proficiency—it requires the ability to develop shooters, diagnose performance issues, manage liability, and deliver effective training that prepares officers for real-world encounters. This comprehensive Firearms Instructor Course is designed to develop firearms instructors who can not only improve their own performance but effectively train and mentor future students.

This course emphasizes modern practical shooting concepts and instructor development, focusing on how officers actually perform under stress during officer-involved shootings (OISs) rather than simply preparing students to pass a qualification course. Students will learn how to identify and correct shooter deficiencies through objective diagnostics, utilize dry-fire training to accelerate skill development, build effective training programs and courses of fire, and manage instructor teams during firearms training events.

Participants will develop a deeper understanding of performance-based instruction, target analysis, shooter diagnostics, recoil management, visual processing, weapon manipulation, and the application of practical shooting principles. The course also examines liability concerns, training documentation, policy considerations, and the lessons learned from analyzing real-world OIS incidents to improve training outcomes.

Throughout the course, students will design and teach drills and exercises, conduct student evaluations, and develop the skills necessary to build safe, defensible, and effective firearms training programs within their agencies. Upon completion, graduates will leave with improved shooting performance, enhanced instructional abilities, and a greater understanding of how to develop competent, accountable armed professionals.

This course exceeds the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) requirements for Firearms Instructor Course #2222.

Topics Covered Include:

• Practical shooting concepts for law enforcement
• Fundamentals of marksmanship
• Visual discipline and confirmation levels
• Recoil management and weapon control
• Dry-fire training development
• Shooter self-diagnostics and student diagnostics
• Instructor development and coaching techniques
• Managing instructor teams
• Drill and course design
• Pistol manipulations
• Reloads and malfunction clearances
• Red dot concepts
• Equipment selection and approval processes
• Optics, weapon lights, and accessories
• TCOLE standards and qualification requirements
• Policy development and liability reduction
• Day and low-light standards
• Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) analysis
• Training documentation and defensibility
• Range management
• Documentation and liability concerns

This course is designed to produce better shooters, better coaches, and more capable firearms instructors who can effectively prepare officers for the realities of firearms employment.

Prerequisites 

Students must have completed the TCOLE basic instructor course #1014 prior to attendance of this course.

Course completion 

Students will be required to shoot and pass the TCOLE firearms instructor qualification on the morning of the first day with a min of 90% (2 attempts)

Graded written exam.

Graded teach back modules and live fire course creation.

Required equipment

Duty/range belt

Semi auto handgun with 3 mags

Duty shotgun

Eye/ear protection

Note taking material.

Black/red marker Recommended equipment

Duty AR-15 style rifle. 

Laptop

Handheld flashlight

Weapons maintenance equipment

Minimum Ammo requirements 

1500 rounds for pistol

5 shotgun slugs

5 shotgun 9 pellet 00 buckshot

Additional ammo recommended.

25 rounds shotgun slug or buck

200 rounds 223/556

If you need any assistance in procuring ammunition or loaner shotgun/rifle please contact instructor at [email protected].

Last day for refunds is Jan 15th. 

No meals provided