12 NCAC 09E .0106          ANNUAL IN-SERVICE FIREARMS QUALIFICATION SPECIFICATIONS

(a)  All certified law enforcement officers shall qualify for both day and night use with their individual and department-approved service handguns at least once each calendar year. For the purpose of this specification, service handgun shall include any semi-automatic pistol or revolver. In addition to the requirements specified in Rule .0105 of this Subchapter, the course of fire shall not be less stringent than the "Basic Training Law Enforcement Officers" course requirements for firearms qualification.

(b)  If an officer's duty handgun is replaced the officer shall qualify both day and night with the new handgun within 15 days of issuance.

(c)  All certified law enforcement officers who are issued or authorized to use a shotgun, rifle, or automatic weapon shall qualify with each weapon respectively for both day and night use at least once each calendar year.

(d)  The qualifications required by Paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Rule shall be completed with duty equipment and duty ammunition or ballistic-equivalent ammunition, including lead-free ammunition that meets the same point of aim, point of impact, and felt recoil of the duty ammunition for all weapons.

(e)  All certified law enforcement officers who are authorized to carry off-duty handguns shall qualify with each such handgun consistent with the specifications outlined in Rules .0105(1) and .0106(a) and (h) of this Section.

(f)  To satisfy the training requirements for all in-service firearms qualifications, an officer shall attain at least 70 percent accuracy with each weapon.

(g)  The qualifications required by Paragraphs (a) and (c) of this Rule shall be achieved at least once in a single day in no more than three attempts in a single day for each course of fire and for each weapon for which qualification is required. Individuals not qualifying in a single day for each course of fire or for a certain weapon for which qualification is required shall be deemed as having failed and Rule .0103(4) and (5) of this Section shall apply.

(h)  The In-Service Firearms Qualification Manual as published by the North Carolina Justice Academy shall be applied as a guide for conducting the annual in-service firearms qualification. Copies of this publication may be inspected at the office of the agency:

Criminal Justice Standards Division

North Carolina Department of Justice

1700 Tryon Park Drive

Raleigh, North Carolina 27610

and may be viewed and downloaded at no cost from the Academy's website at the following address:

http://www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA

History Note:        Authority G.S. 17C-6; 17C-10;

Eff. July 1, 1989;

Amended Eff. January 1, 2019; April 1, 2018; January 1, 2006; January 1, 2005; November 1, 1998; March 1, 1992;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 25, 2019.