Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A.
Entry level handgun
standards: The entry level officer category includes any officer who is
newly hired that has not previously received academy level training. This will
result in the standardization of training in firearms and reduce the liability
to departments by ensuring all officers are informed of the most recent legal
and technical aspects of using deadly force. Prior to carrying a handgun on or
off duty, all entry level non-certified officers shall receive a minimum of 16
hours of instruction in the following areas:
(1) safety - one hour;
(a) on/off duty;
(b) range;
(2) legal aspects - two hours;
(a) state statutes;
(b) use of force policy;
(c) departmental policy;
(d) civil liability considerations;
(3) mental conditioning - one hour
of awareness training;
(4) weapons
care and cleaning - one hour;
(a)
nomenclature;
(b) weapons
operation;
(c)
disassembly/cleaning;
(5) marksmanship fundamentals - one hour;
(a) stance;
(b) grip;
(c) sight alignment;
(d) sight picture;
(e) breath control;
(f) trigger control;
(g) follow through;
(6) weapon manipulation - two hours
(lecture);
(a) presentation;
(b) reloading techniques;
(c) aimed pairs;
(d) failure drills;
(e) malfunction clearance
techniques;
(f) use of
cover;
(g) shooting
positions;
(h) night shooting
techniques;
(7) range
training and testing - eight hours;
(a)
written test;
(b) practical
(non-shooting skills training);
(c)
live-fire manipulation drills (minimum 130 rounds);
(d) decisional shooting (minimum 20 rounds),
three scenarios: good guy/bad guy; shoot/don't shoot, and multiple
assailant.
(e) handgun
qualification eighty percent or greater (minimum 75 rounds);
(i) 50 rounds day qualification (see specific
course);
(ii) 25 rounds night
qualification (see specific course);
B.
Entry level shotgun/rifle
standards: Prior to carrying a shotgun or rifle on or off duty, all
entry level non-certified officers shall receive (in addition to the above) a
minimum of eight hours of instruction in the following areas:
(1) safety - 30 minutes;
(a) on/off duty;
(b) range;
(2) legal aspects - 30 minutes;
(a) use of force policy;
(b) departmental policy;
(3) weapons care and cleaning - one hour;
(a) nomenclature;
(b) weapons operation;
(c) disassembly/cleaning;
(4) weapon manipulation - two
hours;
(a) low/high read;
(b) sling positions;
(c) reloading techniques;
(d) malfunction clearance
techniques;
(e) shooting
positions;
(5) range
training and testing - four hours;
(a) written
test;
(b) practical (non-shooting
skills training);
(c) live-fire
manipulation drills (minimum 50 rounds);
(d) qualification course.
C.
Minimum
standards description: Specific handgun courses of fire designed for
daylight and nighttime conditions, will be used for qualification. This will
ensure that all officers are tested to the same standard once a year only. It
is recommended that the agency vary courses of fire for other agency required
qualifications.
D.
Instructor standards: All firearms training will be conducted by
approved instructors or New Mexico state certified firearms
instructors.
E.
Requalification: All law enforcement officers must participate in
requalification firearms training in accordance with the target/scoring
methodology described in Subsection G of 10.29.9.14 NMAC.
F.
Reporting:
(1) Training must be conducted and reported
to the New Mexico law enforcement academy within 30 days of a non-certified
police officer being hired. The reporting form shall be provided by the New
Mexico law enforcement academy. No uncertified police officer will be allowed
to carry a weapon while on duty until the entry level training has been
completed and reported to the New Mexico law enforcement academy.
(2) Requalification scores of every law
enforcement officer in the state of New Mexico shall be reported yearly to the
New Mexico law enforcement academy by the employing agency for the daytime,
nighttime, and other applicable courses of fire.
G.
Target/scoring methodology:
(1) Silhouette dimensions will be no larger
than 20 inches wide by 35 inches tall overall. Any target similar in design
with the scoring boxes is acceptable for qualification. The target will
represent the silhouette of a human with the following scoring zones: A "Coke
bottle" shape scoring area - this area is worth two points (worth four points
in low-light night qualification course). A template of the scoring area can be
obtained from the academy and drawn onto the agency target.
(2) Any rounds impacting outside the scoring
area, even if they are on the silhouette, are not worth any points.
(3) When the course calls for a "head shot"
the rounds must hit within the "business card", which is the square shaped
scoring area.
(4) A total possible
score of 100 points can be achieved with this scoring system. A minimum score
of eighty percent, or 80 points, is required for qualification. At least 40
rounds must impact within the scoring area and all rounds must be accounted for
either as a hit or a miss. No soft scoring. For the low-light night
qualification course, a total possible score of 100 points can be achieved with
each round having a value of four points.
H.
Ammunition: All firearms
training will be with ammunition that is substantially similar to the duty
ammunition. Only factory made new ammunition should be carried on
duty.
I.
Equipment:
Officers will qualify with their duty equipment authorized by the department.
Training officers will ensure practical and live-fire testing will be done in
clothing consistent with the officer's normal duty uniform. As a minimum, body
armor should be worn.
J.
Backup weapons: It is recommended that officers be allowed to carry
backup weapons, if approved by the departmental armorer/range master, and the
officer should demonstrate proficiency with the weapon consistent with their
departmental policies. If backup weapons are carried, the weapons should be
inspected and by qualification on an appropriate course of fire.
K.
Qualification course: Day (50
round course) - A minimum score of eighty percent is required. Please access
the qualification courses through department of public safety (DPS)/NMLEA
staff.
L.
Qualification
course: Night (25 round course) - A minimum score of eighty percent is
required. Low-light conditions would include parking lights from vehicles,
naturally existing light, or other light that is just enough to identify a
threat. Please access the qualification courses through DPS/NMLEA
staff.
