Tactical Training

Because Auxiliary volunteers may be armed, the Sheriff's Office requires a minimum level of tactical training. The Missouri CCW process builds the foundation by covering Missouri self-defense law, basic firearm safety, and a range practical, but is not by-itself sufficient. Additional training in law, the authority of the Sheriff, and our role within that structure is provided in the Constitution, Law, and the Auxiliary courses and the First Aid requirement sets a minimum level for dealing with injuries (First Responder training is highly encouraged).
As discussed under the CCW process, all volunteers, even those whose role does not include use of firearms (i.e. staff and medical officers) must have a minimum level of firearm and weapons training to ensure that they can safely handle and secure weapons encountered in the course of their duties and safely work around other personnel with firearms. The Auxiliary therefore has three levels of tactical training: a minimum core requirement, a Basic Tactical level, and an Advanced Tactical level.
Operationally, the intent is that volunteers with higher levels of tactical training (presumably NCOs) would be paired with volunteers with a lower-level of training. Therefore, the instruction at the lower level concentrates on technique and the higher level on tactics and planning.
[These requirements are still being drafted and are subject to change.]
 
Core Tactical Requirements:

• The Sheriff Auxiliary's  3-hour Securing and Disabling Weapons practical or approved equivalent.
• A 4-hour course in Weapon Retention and Empty Hand Techniques or approved equivalent.
• Satisfactory participation in observed unit range-training and tactical exercise.
• NOTE: For carrying at large events, we are transitioning to also requiring (at least) a 1 day defensive handgun class with an approved instructor which includes specific training on muzzle discipline and avoiding (receiving or giving) friendly fire. Although we do not require training with a specific instructor, our key requirements is that we know specific elements are offered, we are able to communicate with the instructor to understand the student's strengths and flaws for future training, and preferably have an arrangement to have one of our officers observe the student's performance. We will accept recent certificates from well-known academies with a published curriculum on arrangement. Current volunteers who have been observed at tactical exercise and who we know have demonstrated an understanding of muzzle discipline and friendly-fire will be grandfathered in for the time-being but are encouraged to obtain more standardized instruction in a timely manner. In any case, volunteers must remain active in periodic range training and tactical exercise in order to retain their carry privilege at events.

Including the CCW, First Aid, and a portion of the Constitution, Law and the Auxiliary course, the core requirement represents about 20 hours of training. A pistol-I class brings it up to 28 contact hours.

Basic Tactical Requirements:
A volunteer meeting the Basic Tactical requirements will earn a Basic Tactical uniform qualification pin.

• Approved tactical handgun/shotgun/rifle instruction (e.g. FrontSight 2-day Defensive Handgun; 4-day Defensive Handgun (covers some shotgun/rifle topics), 2-day Practical Rifle and 2-day Tactical Shotgun recommended) (16-64 hours)
  • Priority is close-in self-defense (<=21’) with friendlies
  • Must cover flashlight/radio use
  • One weapon required, 3 recommended
• ​Qualifying instruction in one non-firearm martial art
• Techniques for partners; force protection lecture and role-play (4-6 hours)
• Pre-incident Indicators (must be tailored for SA), Use of Force, Combat Mindset (color code) (3 hours)
• ALICE Active Shooter class (1 hour)
• Recommended: Canine or dangerous animal instruction and practical

Advanced Tactical Requirements:
A volunteer meeting the Advanced Tactical requirements will earn an Advanced Tactical uniform qualification pin.

• Approved tactical handgun/shotgun/rifle instruction (3 weapons)
• Patrol and Perimiter techniques (custom curriculum, 4 hours)
• Lecture: Response to contraband, bomb threat, suspicious package, crime scene (2 hours)

• Lecture and Role Play: interacting with law enforcement; when to call for help, what to do in the meantime (custom curriculum) (2 hours)
• Security for MARC, Family Assistance Center, Shelter (requires Red Cross Shelter Operations course, Red Cross Multi-Agency Resource Center course, Mass Casualty Response course)
• Active Shooter for Law Enforcement
• Small-unit tactics

   

 
Descriptions:
Securing and Disabling Weapons Practical
A 2-3 hour hands-on course covering safe-handling, securing, disabling, or destroying a variety of firearms. Course covers the basic working mechanisms of different classes of firearms, how to safety-check and disassemble common types, how to safely secure (e.g. using bolt locks correctly), how to remove critical working parts to disable (e.g. remove bolt and lock up separately), and if necessary, how to quickly and permanently destroy firearms which must be left unsecured. Hands-on component gives students practice in securing and disassembling firearms.
Weapon Retention and Empty Hand Techniques
This course will be supported, if possible, through standard, commercially available training. Course shall cover basics of weapon retention: safe handling of a sidearm on and off-duty; deny malefactors access to your firearm; empty hand techniques to protect yourself when you cannot get to your firearm or to prevent an opponent’s firearm from being brought into play. Shall cover standard disarming techniques.

Equivalencies: If you have equivalent training, you may receive a waiver fro the LCSA required version.
You must submit a certificate of a satisfactory completion from the previous 4+ hours training  (e.g. a POST certificate for prior law enforcement training, from military training as MP, SO, MOA, etc, which would cover equivalent or higher skills. An outside class from a certified firearm instructor with class description. A mixed-method martial arts training on equivalent subjects might also work as would private courses through a private security firm. If we cannot give you a credit for the previous class, we can still put the information in the instructor's corse folder so that he knows what students have already had for training. When in doubt, take the class and then there will be no potential issue.

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