outline_31811
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
Course Goal: To provide students with the information and hands-on experience needed
to effectively use a patrol rifle
Audience: Sworn Public Safety Officers who are being introduced to a rifle and will
qualify and carry it on duty in the scope of their employment
Note: Successful completion of this course satisfies the legislative training
mandate to possess short barrel rifles as specified in Penal Code section
33220(b) and the Commission training requirement to possess long barrel
rifles as specified in Commission Regulation 1081.
Purpose: The purpose of this training is to provide the law enforcement officer with
the knowledge, skills and abilities to respond with fair, unbiased and
reasonably necessary force to critical incidents, while employing de-
escalation techniques when feasible, up to and including an imminent threat
of great bodily injury or death.
Course Objectives
1. Demonstrate their understanding of the four basic safety rules for handling firearms.
2. Demonstrate the ability to field strip the weapon and to properly clean and maintain it.
3. Be provided with and demonstrate understating of the agency policy regarding the use of
firearms.
4. Demonstrate the ability to properly load, unload, and fire the weapon and to clear
malfunctions that might occur with the weapon.
5. Demonstrate proficiency with the weapon and obtain agency qualification.
6. Shooting decisions, know your abilities, limitations and those of your weapon.
Required Content
1. Law Update, Penal Code 835(a)
2. Review of Use of Force Issues, Agency Policies, and Mission
3. Safety Issues
4. Nomenclature, Specifications, and Capabilities
5. Firearm Care, Breakdown, and Cleaning
1 June 2021
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
6. Tactical Considerations
7. Skill Development and Qualification
INTRODUCTION AND EXPANDED COURSE OUTLINE
This course of instruction is designed for Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety personnel
assigned an AR-15 rifle.
I. INTRODUCTION & ADMINISTRATION
a. Introduction
i. Instructors
ii. Students
iii. Course goals & objectives
iv. Class rosters
b. Administration
i. POST paperwork
ii. Rohnert Park DPS paperwork
II. USE OF FORCE / POLICY & CASE LAW REVIEW
th
a. 4 Amendment to the Constitution
i. Reasonable v. unreasonable force
ii. Updated changes to Penal Code 835(a)
b. RPDPS Policy & Procedure
i. Permitted firearms and qualifications
ii. Use of force, Penal Code 835(a)
iii. Officer involved shooting
iv. Patrol rifle
c. Penal Code section 32610(b)
i. Possession of within scope of employment
d. Law Update
i. Tennessee v. Garner
ii. Graham v. Conner
iii. Plakis v. Drinski
iv. Popow v. Margate
v. Canton v. Harris
vi. Zuchel v. City & County of Denver
vii. Langford v. Gates
viii. Whitely v. Warden
III. SAFETY RULES/RANGE RULES/SAFETY ISSUES
a. Safety Rules
i. Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
ii. Never point your muzzle at anything you are not willing to shoot.
iii. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
iv. Always be aware of your target, what’s between it, and beyond.
2 June 2021
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
b. Range Rules
i. Manipulation of firearms behind the firing line is prohibited unless under
the supervision of the range instructor
ii. If a problem arises on the line, raise your non-gun hand to summon an
instructor.
iii. Address any range specific safety concerns
c. Safety Issues
i. Environmental concerns
ii. Ballistic injury
iii. Heat exhaustion/stroke
iv. Medical treatment
v. Medical plan
IV. NOMENCLATURE, UPPER RECEIVER & LOWER RECEIVER
a. Upper receiver
i. Front and rear sights
ii. Bolt Carrier Group
iii. Charging handle
b. Lower receiver
i. Bolt catch
ii. Magazine release
iii. Safety selector
iv. Sling and attachments
V. FUNCTION CHECK, FIREARMS CARE/BREAKDOWN & CLEANING
a. Instructor lecture followed by student practical application
i. Upper receiver
ii. Lower receiver
iii. Firearms care breakdown
iv. Cleaning considerations
v. Assembly and Function check
VI. CYCLE OF OPERATIONS
a. AR-15 Rifle
i. Light-weight
ii. Magazine fed
iii. Gas operated
iv. Automatic
v. Shoulder fired
b. Cycle of operations
i. Feeding
ii. Chambering
iii. Locking
iv. Firing
v. Unlocking
3 June 2021
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
vi. Extracting
vii. Ejecting
viii. Cocking
VII. WEAPON & AMMUNITION CAPABILITIES & SPECIFICATIONS
a. Weapon capabilities and specifications
i. AR-15
ii. Barrel length 16”
iii. Caliber .223
iv. Magazine capacity 30 rounds (28 rounds recommended)
v. Type of sights, EOTech Holographic Sight and Iron Sights
vi. Approximate muzzle velocity 3240 feet per second
vii. Maximum range in excess of 2600 meters
viii. As instructed, maximum effective or engagement range: 0 to 250 yards
b. Ammunition
i. Only ammunition approved by the department may be used
ii. Weight retention
iii. Fragmentation concerns
iv. Ballistic performance
VIII. PRINCIPLES OF MARKSMANSHIP
a. Stance/Position
i. Standing
ii. Kneeling
iii. Sitting
iv. Prone
b. Sight Alignment
i. Sight Alignment
ii. Sight Picture
iii. Instructor will demonstrate proper sight alignment
c. Trigger Control
i. Slow steady pressure to the rear, don’t jerk the trigger
ii. Feel for trigger reset
d. Grip/cheek Weld
i. Consistency
e. Breathing
i. Fire at the natural respiratory pause
ii. Avoid holding your breath for extended periods
IX. MALFUNCTION/STOPPAGE CLEARING
a. Failure to feed
i. “Tap, rack, assess”
b. Failure to fire
i. “Tap, rack assess”
4 June 2021
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
c. Failure to extract
i. “Tap, rack, assess”
d. Double feed
i. “Tap, rack, assess”
ii. Bolt locked to the rear, magazine removed
X. SKILL DEVELOPMENT & PRACTICAL APPLICATION
a. Dry fire exercises
i. Completed on the range, under instructor supervision
ii. Completed from each position (standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone)
b. Live fire exercises
i. Completed on the range, under instructor supervision
ii. Completed from each position (standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone)
iii. Varying distance shooting
iv. Move and Fire exercises
v. Malfunction exercises
vi. Close quarter tactical shooting
vii. Re-loading and firing exercises
viii. Live fire at multiple targets
ix. Precision shooting exercises
x. Exercise fire discipline within agency guidelines and parameters of
applicable state and federal law.
c. Qualification
i. All students must complete the qualifications with a passing score
ii. Day-light
XI. LOW LIGHT ENVIRONMENT
a. Tactical considerations
i. Light discipline
ii. Manipulating the firearm and a light simultaneously
XII. TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
a. Dictated on agency policy and procedure
i. Use of force, weapon & equipment
b. Physical environment
i. Urban/rural area
ii. Cross-fire concerns
iii. Backdrop and non-threat areas
c. Use cover and concealment
i. Cover vs. concealment
d. Benefits of the patrol rifle
i. Range
ii. Ballistic energy
iii. Accuracy
iv. Penetration concerns
5 June 2021
Patrol Rifle Basic Course
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (4180)
CCN: 31811| July 2021 | POST Certification II | Reimbursement Plan IV | 16 hours
XIII. REVIEW, WRITTEN TEST, EVALUATIONS, & GRADUATION
a. Review
i. Policy, procedure, application
b. Written test
i. All students must pass
c. Evaluations
i. Instructor
ii. Students
XIV. Testing: Any student scoring below standard on any exercise, as established by
the presenter, will be remediated, and tested until competency is demonstrated to
the satisfaction of the presenter within RPDPS Policies and Procedures.
This program consists of 16 hours of training; 8 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of
range training.
6 June 2021