FBI Certified Firearms Instructor

[TexKettering]

I see this term used all over when looking on instructor bio pages for any training program.

I've Googled to my heart's content and I still can't find any information on how one becomes FBI certified. Is it closed to LEO/military only?

I'm interested in getting some certifications, as per my other thread that is currently dead, but don't know how to go about getting all of them.

 

[TexKettering]

And I'm assuming that you do not need to actually be an FBI employee/agent...

 

[rwc]

IIRC it is an internal classification and a secondary assignment (there is one at every office of any size since they all have to qualify quarterly).

Which means you are going to need to take a trip to Quantico as a student if you want this one.

 

[TexKettering]

I am planning a trip to the Quantico location a couple of months, actually. I have a friend that works there and will be showing me around as much as he can. Maybe I can get some of these questions answered...

And the friend does not know the answer, already tried that.

 

[M203Sniper]

http://www.policetrainingconsultants.com/InstructorProfiles/index.htm



First link that popped up on a search - it basically says there isn't such a thing. There are FBI agents (as well as Border Patrol etc) who are instructors/re-certification guru's for other agents.
It means nothing to you and me. Anybody that tells you they were an FBI instructor should be able to produce credentials and a copy of a certificate for the Firearms Instructor Training Program in Georgia; otherwise

and you tell 'em you're an Airborne Ninja that was jump certified in 1903. Same thing.

 

[Rob62]

M203Sniper - explained it perfectly.

Each Federal agency and many state/local ones send employees to a FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers) to receive firearms instructor training. This course is called the FITP (Firearms Instructor Training Program) Also sometimes refered to as a Firearms Instructor Training Course . The biggest FLETC, which looks like there are four now, is in Glynco, GA.

http://www.fletc.gov/about-fletc/locations/glynco

So anyone who attends one of the FITP’s will be able to say they are one of their respective agencies Firearms Instructors. Some weird ones that come to mind; Agriculture Department Firearms Instructor, Central Intelligence Agency Firearms Instructor – though these guys usually refer to themselves as being with the Bright Star Import Export Company. And one of my personal favorites the Postal Inspector Firearms Instructors.

FWIW - A private citizen can not attend any of the classes offered by a FLETC as far as I know. As the name implies they are mainly designed for Federal agencies. However I do know that many State and local LEO's/employees attend courses there as well.

Regards,
Rob

 

[Leadbutt]

Sounds like your talking about the Firearms Instructor school at Quantico,,Its only open to LEO's and other Federal agencies,, LEO side last I heard had to have Sgt. stripes and up to attend and shooting a pre qual score.

It takes the LEO Instructor and real tunes him or her up on how to help improve the shooters and putting classes together

 

[fastbolt]

Back many years ago the FBI used to be proactive in participating in LE firearm instructor training on the state/local level. They provided instructor assistance in some of the older LE firearm instructor classes taught at the state/local level here in CA.

The original firearms instructor class I attended had a FBI firearms instructor participating in teaching the class, which was hosted by one of the major PD's in Northern CA, and another FBI agent came in to teach the deadly force legal update segment. Naturally, the class was influenced by the FBI training in many respects.

My first firearms instructor certificate bears the information that it was held under the sponsorship of a PD, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

When I was first sent to this class I was told that the reason my agency preferred it was that it hopefully made our training more easily defended in Court if we were following training methods & practices approved by the FBI. Maybe so.

I haven't heard of the FBI being involved in this manner in basic firearms instructor training on a state/local level, at least here in CA, for a number of years.

 

[Tom Givens]

The FBI is still heavily involved in training instructors for local law enforcement agencies. The training is conducted by FBI instructors, normally at a host agency range, such as a large PD's range. Students are held to the same standards as an FBI Firearms Instructor. That means during the week long training, the trainee must pass, at instructor level, both the FBI Bullseye Course and the FBI Pistol Qualification Course. That means at least 260 out of 300 on bullseye and at least 90% on the silhouette course.

During the week there are also classroom sessions on legal issues, course design, and teaching techniques. Entry is limited to law enforcement officers assigned to the school by their agency. When I went through, there was extensive night fire involved, as well as Force on Force scenarios with Simunitions. Successful graduates get a certificate from the FBI as firearms instructors. The certificate on my wall says, "Federal Bureau of Investigation, Training School Certificate of Completion". That is what people are referring to when they say they are FBI certified instructors.

I hope that clears up some of the confusion. The FBI Division Office here puts on such a school once a year, for area LE agencies, usually hosted at the Sheriff's Office Training Academy ranges.

 

[Boom Vang]

Tom, good solid information!

FYI, the standards for FBI Agent Firearms Instructor School (FIS) are the same, regardless of whether the class was held at the FBI Academy at Quantico or in the field. The certification is given only by the FBI Firearms Training Unit at Quantico, and is only available to FBI Agents.

For general state and local law enforcement training (and sometimes military), the FBI field firearms instructors conduct the training for the Police Firearms Instructor School (FIS). This training varies according to the field office where it is held, but generally mirrors quite closely the FBI FIS program. The standards, however, are not necessarily identical. Eg. Bullseye passing score might be lower, as this is a particular acquired skill set that might be unrealistic for some departments or agencies.

Most such recent Police FIS schools as taught by the FBI will also include instruction - and often qualification - in shotgun, MP5 and M4 Carbine, as well as pistol. In some cases, the FIS is taught in conjunction with a General Instructor course, in methods of instruction, as mandated by state police training requirements.

So, "Certified FBI Firearms Instructor", usually means that the individual is/was a state/local LEO that has successfully completed an FBI field Police FIS, unless he was previously an FBI Agent. A comprehensive standard in any event.

 

[Claude Clay]

Fabregie Battle Institute

infamous school out past Uranus

 

[209]

What they all said.

As an example- I currently have two firearms certifications- one through CT POST (Police Officers Standards and Training Council) which means I can give recertification credits to any CT certified officer if they can endure a course I give. I'm certified for handguns, shotguns and less-lethal munitions. The other is a NRA Law Enforcement Patrol Rifle Instructor which allows me to teach patrol rifle. CT POST honors that so I can give credits for patrol rifle courses. Plus a lot of certificates that show I attended other firearms instructor courses. Those are considered "further schooling".

I'd love to go to a FLETC course and get a certification from them. Likewise, I'd go to an FBI-run school. It doesn't hurt to have more certifications (or certificates that show you passed a course). Maybe I've been lucky, but I find each course I take teaches me either new information or some technique that makes me a better instructor.

And who knows- maybe when I retire I can use those skills to teach non-LEOs and start a second career.

 

[Bailey Guns]

Yep...I attended one of those week-long FBI sponsored Firearms Instructor Courses in Aurora, CO back about 94.

All instructors teaching the class were Denver-based FBI agents/instructors and the FBI sprung for all the teaching materials and ammo (handgun and shotgun only). I worked for a local sheriff's dept back then. The training was pretty comprehensive and while it wasn't difficult for me since I was already an avid shooter, it was certainly no cakewalk...especially with all the 00 buck and slugs we fired on the last day before qualifications.

But completing the course only made me a NRA certified LE Firearms Instructor. Not an FBI certified instructor. And, once you're no longer an active LE officer, if the only NRA teaching credential you had was as an LE officer, you're no longer a certified instructor. You have to take the NRA class to become a civilian pistol instructor.

 

[GRIZ22]

The FBI used to put on a variety of schools for local law enforcement. I don't know if they still do. I attended Police Firearms Instructor and Sex Crimes Investigation schools when I was a police officer in the 1970s. These schools were open to LEOs only. The firerams school only covered revolver and shotgun at the time. Semi-autos were sneaking their way into LE at the time and I remember asking the instructor about autos (I carried a 1911 off duty at the time) . His response was "I'm not the firearms genius John Browning was but as the Bureau uses a revolver it must be the best LE handgun". My certificate from the firearms course says certified by the FBI.

I went to work for US Customs and attended the Firearms Instructors Training Program (FITP) at FLETC in Georgia. This is open to any federal agnecy that carries guns. Customs also ran a firearms program out of Ft Benning which did all testing and evaluation of firearms and served as the armory for the Customs Service. They also conducted recertification courses for Customs' instructors and other training like rifle, MP5, etc. Customs was put in Homeland Security after 9/11 and merged with Immigration. When i retired a few years ago Fort Benning was still doing the advanced training for ICE and T&E of weapons and the armory was run out of the old INS facility in PA. None of these schools I attended were open to non LEOs.

The FBI runs their firearms training program out of Quantico and it's only open to FBI and DEA. They also have things opened to other lWE agencies but I don't know any details about that.

I received a state certification solely on my traing and experience in the federal goverment.

The NRA runs Police Firerams Instructors schools but I believe they are only open to LEOs and Security companies (security folks have to pay) but I'm not sure about this.

Some weird ones that come to mind; Agriculture Department Firearms Instructor, Central Intelligence Agency Firearms Instructor – though these guys usually refer to themselves as being with the Bright Star Import Export Company. And one of my personal favorites the Postal Inspector Firearms Instructors.


They may sound weird but that's because you don't know what they do. Postal Inspectors are involved with controlled deliveries of drugs being shipped through the US Mail and a lot of other things which justify them carrying firearms. Criminal Investigators from Dept of Agriculture do food stamp fraud investigations which involves criminals making millions of dollars and takes them into high crime areas. They both have the authority to arrest so they carry guns.

 

[HexHead]

And one of my personal favorites the Postal Inspector Firearms Instructors.

I wouldn't underestimate the Postal Inspectors. They were the first US agency to purchase Thompson submachine guns.