Retired Police Officer Qualifications

Gun For Hire Academy

UPDATE: This letter is to provide an update to the Use of Force Training (Guidebook) for the Retired Law Enforcement Officer. As you are most likely aware, the Federal Statute regarding Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA-HR218 / 18 USC 921) was updated in 2013. With this expansion and clarification of the Federal Statute, the New Jersey State Police Firearms Investigation Unit has reviewed its impact on the New Jersey Retired Law Enforcement Officer permit to carry a Handgun (RPO) program. The current training and qualifications mandated for retired law enforcement under the current RPO program consist of Use of Force Training, the active duty day qualification (HQC1 or HQC2) and the RPO Night Qualification. The current utilized night qualification differs from the active duty night qualification course required for retired law enforcement officers to carry under the federal law in that the use of a light is not required, and yardage markers for the qualification differ.

As a result of our review of the current training and the federal law, the following changes to training and qualifications of all retired law enforcement officers under the New Jersey RPO carry permit program are being sent to all authorized State retired law enforcement qualifiers, and are to be implemented effective January 1st 218.

This is required every year for security officers and private concealed carry permit holders in the state of New Jersey. We also qualify retired police officers every six months for them to meet the requirements of HR 218 and keep their carry permit valid in the state of New Jersey.