Open to Ocean County Departments only at this time.
If course doesn’t fill, it may open to outside agencies at a later date.
Limit 2 seats per department. Course is strictly limited.

Students must pass 3 consecutive runs of the HQC-1 OR HQC-2 (determined day of) on Day 1 with an 95% or better and score an 80% (32/40) on the HNQC on Day 4. Students must arrive with an above average shooting ability and poor shooters should not attend. Additionally, students are required to safely handle their weapons throughout the course. Safety violations may result in immediate expulsion from the program and agency notification.

***STUDENTS ARRIVING WITH HANDGUNS EQUIPPED WITH RED DOT SIGHTS MUST SHOOT ALL QUALIFICATIONS WITH THE BACKUP IRON SIGHTS ON THEIR HANDGUN WITHOUT THE USE OF THE OPTIC***

Description: ***THIS IS A POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION CERTIFIED COURSE***

The Ocean County Firearms Instructor Course is a 10-day, 80-hour program designed to provide agencies with an instructor capable of conducting the required semi-annual firearms qualifications for the handgun, shotgun and rifle (if issued/authorized), provide marksmanship instruction, and be able to coach, diagnose, and fix struggling shooters. Graduates will be able to safely conduct firearms training, run their ranges, and keep detailed records as required by the Attorney General guidelines. Additionally, a review of the AG guidelines pertaining to firearms will be conducted. Attendees will learn the roles and responsibilities of a firearms instructor, as well as safety related to firearms, classroom sessions, and range operations. Issues such as legal and liability topics will be covered, the proper student to instructor ratio per weapon, and how to teach marksmanship skills. Students will also be taught how to run the line as an instructor safely and give appropriate range commands.

The student will be shown methods conducive to maximizing student retention of the material, develop and evaluate drills and training packages, and will have an opportunity to put their skills to the test using the other students as simulated trainees during the program. Students will be subject to spot checks such as spontaneous teaching assignments and presentations throughout the course to ensure retention of the material at an instructor level.

As this is an instructor-level course, it is performance based. Mere registration and attendance does not guarantee graduation or a course certificate. There will be a pre-qualification conducted on day 1 to gauge the student’s current ability to effectively employ the handgun and safely manipulate it. Students will be required to pass graded teach-backs of selected topics, range presentations, training development and delivery, as well as a written exam to ensure retention of material presented throughout the program. Failure to pass any of the required testing will result in the student not being awarded an instructor certification. This is not a gentleman’s course and students who arrive without above average shooting skills may not pass the program.

The last 3 days of the course will cover the rifle portion (optional). You must have a Basic Rifle Operator cert and have your rifled zeroed to you prior to attending this portion.

Equipment requirements:

• Handgun with at least 3 magazines and magazine pouch. Weapon light strongly recommended
• 2000 rounds pistol ammunition
• Shotgun (if issued/approved by agency) with sling and ammo carriage system such as sidesaddle or dump pouch for shells
• 250 buckshot shells (if issued/approved by agency)
• 250 slug shells (if issued/approved by agency)
• Cleaning kit and lube for assigned weapons
• Eye/ear protection (clear/tinted)
• Range attire/training uniform
• Duty belt setup/tactical loadout
• IFAK/TQ on armor/belt is mandatory

• Rifle with at least 2 magazines. Weapon mounted light strongly recommended
• 1000 rounds of rifle ammunition
• (FOR RIFLE PORTION ONLY, MUST PROVIDE RIFLE OPERATOR CERTIFICATE TO STAY FOR RIFLE PORTION.)

Night Firing day – TBD

Conducted by Ocean County Police Academy Firearms Training Cadre

Seats Remaining: 18

Register Now

Register Now

Only 18 spots left

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Department*

Comments

If you are a human, do not fill in this field

Need to unregister?

Need to unregister?

Use this tool to manage your registration.

Enter your registered email address*

***HANDGUNS EQUIPPED WITH RED DOT SIGHTS (RDS) ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON IN NEW JERSEY LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH MANY AGENCIES ISSUING OR APPROVING THESE WEAPONS FOR DUTY USE. IF AN AGENCY ISSUES A HANDGUN RDS ON THEIR DUTY WEAPON, STUDENTS CAN BRING THEIR AGENCY ISSUED DUTY HANDGUN EQUIPPED WITH AN RDS SIGHTING SYSTEM TO THE COURSE.

HOWEVER, THE PRE-QUALIFICATION MUST BE SHOT WITH THE BACKUP IRON SIGHTS ON THE HANDGUN. ADDITIONALLY, THE HANDGUN NIGHT QUALIFICATION MUST BE SHOT WITH THE BACKUP IRON SIGHTS.

HANDGUNS EQUIPPED WITH RDS SIGHTING SYSTEMS WITHOUT BACKUP IRON SIGHTS THAT CAN BE CO-WITNESSED THROUGH THE OPTIC ARE PROHIBITED. THE MERE PRESENCE OF IRON SIGHTS ON THE SLIDE WILL NOT SUFFICE UNLESS THEY ARE HIGH ENOUGH TO BE SEEN THROUGH THE OPTIC WINDOW. STUDENTS ARRIVING WITH NONCOMPLIANT HANDGUNS WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM SHOOTING THE PRE-QUALIFICIATION WITH THAT WEAPON SINCE IRON SIGHTS WILL NOT BE VISIBLE.

AFTER PASSING PRE-QUALIFICATION WITH THE IRON SIGHTS, STUDENTS MAY CONTINUE TO USE THE RDS THE REST OF THE WEEK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HANDGUN NIGHT QUALIFICATION.

STUDENTS ARRIVING WITH AN RDS EQUIPPED HANDGUN MUST HAVE THE RDS ZEROED (EITHER A 10/15/25 YARD ZERO) PRIOR TO DAY 1 AS THERE WILL BE NO TIME ALLOTED FOR ZEROING.

THE FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR COURSE WILL NOT PROVIDE INSTRUCTION OR CERTIFICATION ON HANDGUN RDS EMPLOYMENT. STUDENTS ARRIVING WITH A HANDGUN EQUIPPED WITH RDS WILL BE EXPECTED TO HAVE APPROPRIATE TRAINING ON THE SYSTEM AND HAVE THE OPTIC INSTALLED CORRECTLY. THE STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS OF ANY FAILURES OF THEIR RDS SYSTEM.

AGENCIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK OUT REPUTABLE INSTRUCTOR LEVEL TRAINING PRIOR TO AUTHORIZING AND FIELDING HANDGUN RDS SYSTEMS. THE POLICE TRAINING COMMISSION AND DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE DO NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND ANY SPECIFIC THIRD-PARTY ENTITY AND AGENCIES ARE ADVISED TO DO THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE ON ANY TRAINING PROVIDER BEING CONSIDERED FOR HANDGUN RDS TRAINING***