ILETSB 40 Hour Mandatory Firearms

Registration Deadline: February 20, 2026 

This course has been approved by ILETSB for the following mandates:
Constitutional Use of LE Authority – 3.0
Legal Updates – 1.0
Procedural Justice – 1.0
De-escalation Techniques – 25.0/Scenario Based Hours – 20.0
Law concerning stops, searches, and the use of force – 1.0
Officer safety techniques, including cover, concealment, and time – 1.0 

Instructional Goal:
The purpose of this unit of instruction is to orientate the students to the training environment and the expectations that will be demanded of them during the course. This period will be utilized to complete administrative processing of the students into the training institution; assure that each student understands all rules and regulations regarding attendance and performance expectation, and other related matters.

A.      The interest of students in improving firearms skills is to be promoted by a discussion of police public relations resulting from police use of firearms as related to the public’s perception of police abilities with firearms. Such discussion is intended to lead to a consideration of the benefits to the police profession in terms of proficiency in the use of firearms, better public opinion, improved safety for the officer and the public, and the greater likelihood of accomplishing the desired results when the use of firearms is required.

B.    Students will be advised of the general objectives of the instruction, (i.e., an appreciation of the seriousness of the misuse of firearms, firearms safety, and the development of individual competency). The instructor will remind students that acquisition and retention of basic firearms skills will depend significantly upon the degree of concentration and the seriousness with which students approach this instruction, and the amount of continued practice that the officer experiences.

During this unit of instruction, participants will be instructed on how a proper defensive mindset is critical to surviving the use of force scenario as part of their law enforcement duties.  Situational awareness, perception of environment, and human stress factors will also be discussed to provide the students with real world examples of how the human mind and body react to stress as well as stress mitigation techniques.

This segment of the instruction will include the various hazards associated with firearms, safety rules on and off duty, techniques of shooting, and a description of range procedures and safety measures. Consideration of the physical dangers to the officer, and to others, associated with the personal firearm will include the risk of underestimating the characteristics of the firearm and ammunition—maximum range, penetrating power, etc. Accidents resulting from the failure to observe safety rules, on and off duty, will be considered, including the possibility of constant association with firearms resulting in a decrease in the officer’s natural respect for them; the effect of carelessness in storage combined with a child’s fascination with guns; and the effect of ignorance of a firearm’s functional characteristics. The instructor will illustrate the result of negligence with firearms based upon personal knowledge, statistics, or hypothetical situations. Off-duty safety rules will be discussed, including safe handling, wearing, securing, storing of, and traveling with firearms.

The concept of the use of force and types of force including reasonable, deadly, necessary and imminent danger will be discussed. The issues of negligence and vicarious liability will be presented as well as the critical importance of training documentation of the participant’s attendance and performance. The legal ramifications involved in the alteration of firearms and/or ammunition will be discussed. Illustrative examples of court cases involving circumstances in which officers have been found liable for improper use of firearms will be given. Instructions will also include consideration of the provisions of Sections 5/2-8, 5/7-1, 5/7-5, and 5/12-5, Chapter 720, Illinois Compiled Statutes, as a basis for the use of firearms. In addition to the consequences and liabilities accruing to the improper uses of firearms, illustrative court cases will be used to point out the need for officer proficiency in shooting, even when the use of firearms is appropriate to the situation.

Instruction will include proper techniques for handling, loading, and unloading firearms emphasizing that safety comes through learning and practice. Various malfunction clearance techniques will also be addressed. Discussion will also include appropriate equipment to be utilized which will better assure safety, such as proper holsters, the built-in safety of various types of firearms, and safety securing devices which can be used to assure firearms safety.

This block of instruction is aimed at a maximum amount of range time for hands-on development of shooting skills and to develop participant marksmanship proficiency. It will enable the participant to proceed through a systematic learning process that begins with basic drills and continues sequentially to the development of a smooth technique leading to the desired goal of balanced safety, accuracy, and speed.  Through live-fire range exercises and instruction, shooters will be coached extensively on recognizing their mental anticipation of firearm recoil and muzzle report and how that anticipation might manifest itself in physical actions (e.g., poor trigger control), which can hinder accuracy. Gun handling proficiency will also be developed through demonstration, classroom and range instruction including, but not limited to, shooting concepts, charging, and clearing firearms, loading and reloading skills, holstering, un-holstering, range safety, proper grip, stance, sighting, trigger finger position, trigger manipulation, proper breathing, and performance potential of various types of ammunition. 

The primary purpose of this unit is to acquaint the participant with issues found in firing in varying conditions of darkness and to develop low light shooting skills. Commonly encountered low light shooting environments to be simulated include back lighted assailants, front lighted assailants, and situations where only dim light is available. Emphasis will be on techniques for firing accurately with the aid of ambient light, flashlight aided techniques, and other supplemental light sources such as weapon mounted lights and/or similar devices.
The purpose of this unit is to provide firearms qualification testing utilizing the ILETSB’s approved Course of Fire
This unit of instruction is provided for administering the written State Mandatory Firearms Examination as required by P.A.84-487 Mandatory Firearms Training Act. Each participant will be required to obtain a minimum 70% score. 
Should the participant fail to meet the minimum qualification score of 70%, a procedure is set out under Policies and Procedures.

Equipment for class: 
Duty belt
Vest
Eye/Ear protection
700 rounds of ammunition
3 magazines
Flashlight
Causal dress (unless directed by department policy) 

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC MEETING