Firearms & Tactics Section  Mission:

Develop skills required for the safe and proficient use of firearms

Provide entry level training for newly hired officers

Instruct and re-qualify all UMOS with firearms

Develop strategies and tactical training to minimize firearms use

Improve firearms safety

Firearms and Tactics Section History

The Firearms and Tactics Section began operating the Outdoor Range facility in June of 1960 under the command of Lieutenant Frank McGee. The original members of the newly established Firearms Training Unit were made up of Police Academy Instructors and members of the Tactical Patrol Force.

The Firearms and Tactics Section has been given the task of providing important firearms and tactical instruction within a safe learning environment for all uniformed members of the New York City Police Department.

Members of the NYPD were originally armed with .38 caliber revolvers.  Throughout the 1960s, 70s and late 80s the NYPD service weapon remained virtually unchanged. In 1993 the department began its transition from exclusively using revolvers and started training its members in the use of 9MM semiautomatic pistols. The introduction of 9MM weapons started with recruit training and in- service members who voluntarily switched to the then new weapon. These officers were allowed to choose from among three (3) authorized service pistols, the Glock Model 19, Smith & Wesson Model 5946 and the Sig Sauer Model P226. These currently remain the Department’s only authorized service weapons.   

Outdoor Range Facility

The Outdoor Range, located in the Rodmans Neck section of the Bronx, is a 54 acre facility where the majority of the uniformed members of the NYPD attend various firearms training & re-qualification courses.

• 7 ranges with 230 total firing points
• Lecture Hall  & Seven Classrooms
• Armory / Gun shop
• F.A.T.S. Simulator building
• Urban Training Center /Tactical Village and Tactics House

The Firearms and Tactics Section also has several indoor ranges throughout the city:

• Headquarters Range at 1 Police Plaza
• Police Academy Range
• Avenue “X” Range in Brooklyn   

Recruit Training

The firearms instruction given to recruits is divided into two phases. The first phase, known as the Basic Training, is a five day session which covers preliminary firearms training, starting with proper firearms safety and basic nomenclature to shooting fundamentals and ultimately qualification.

Each recruit must demonstrate proficiency with their weapons by shooting and passing two of three “Pistol Qualification Courses” (PQC). Only after successfully completing basic training can a recruit officer return for the next phase of firearms training known as Tactics Training.

The Recruit Tactics Training is a seven day training curriculum designed to give the student officer the necessary resources to apply sound tactical techniques in any given situation. A total of 1200 live fire rounds are fired during the twelve day Recruit Program.           

Semi Annual Firearms Re-Qualification Cycle

•  Conducted Twice Annually

All shooters receive two lectures: One basic and one tactical. The basic presentation is designed to reinforce shooting fundamentals, firearms safety and weapons maintenance. During the tactical lecture, various topics are revisited and contemporary issues are introduced based on information gathered from police shooting reports. These topics include tactical awareness; the judicious use of the firearm; the escalating scale of force; and confrontation situations.

During each tactical lecture, reflexive responses are discussed. Instructors review some of the common causes of this phenomenon and discuss tactics to mitigate this occurrence. Shooters are then required to demonstrate their proficiency with their service and off duty weapons by shooting three courses of fire consisting of one-hundred fifty rounds.

• Live Fire Qualification for Service & Off Duty Weapons

• Tactical Training Exercises / Courses

Officers attending the annual cycle are also trained on the Firearms Training Simulator (FATS). First used in 1999, this excellent training resource is an interactive video simulator where participants are placed in real life situations based on a vast video library of re-enacted police encounters from all over the country, including New York City.

• F.A.T.S. Training / Tactical Lectures

                  Special Weapons Training

The Firearms and Tactics Section is responsible for training specific members of the service with Special Weapons. This huge task is performed by eleven highly trained and dedicated Firearms Instructors. They are supervised by one sergeant who shares there dedication and enthusiasm. These officers apply their talents to the challenging assignment of qualifying the members of many specialized units from throughout the department on various types of weapons. These units include the following:

Emergency Service Unit

ESU - Long Range Rifle Teams

Harbor Unit

Aviation Unit

Highway Patrol

OCCB Undercover Officers

Intelligence Division

The training provided by these instructors range from pistols to any of the following:

Colt M4 Carbine

HK MP5 Submachine Gun

Mossberg 590A1 Shotgun

Ruger Mini-14 Rifle

Remington M24 Long Range Rifle                   

                   Advanced Tactics Firearms Course

In 2006, the Advanced Tactical Firearms Training Course was designed and implemented. This two day program was developed after an in depth analysis of firearms discharge reports that indicated a need for advanced training. This training emphasizes the utilization of proper tactics and improved shooting skills. This proactive reality based firearms training is aimed at placing officers in “high stress” street scenarios designed to simulate situations which they will likely encounter. Since its inception nearly 2000 police officers have attended this innovative training course.

               Armory Gunshop

One very important component in the task of providing vital firearms training to all UMOS is weapons maintenance. This essential work is performed by several highly skilled and specially trained firearms instructors who are responsible for the repair of approximately 10,000 firearms per year. Each of these firearms instructors is a certified Armorer, under the supervision of one sergeant who is also specially trained. They also perform research & development projects of new firearms & ammunition. The Gun shop personnel maintain an inventory of approximately 5000 weapons and are in charge of distributing the millions of rounds of ammunition fired annually.

               Practice Sessions

In an effort to improve the shooting skills of all uniformed members of the service, the Firearms and Tactics Section made practice sessions available at all range facilities. Any UMOS interested in practicing with their service and/or off duty firearm may come to the range on the last Wednesday of each month. Each member is issued one-hundred rounds of service ammunition and while under the supervision & guidance of a firearms instructor, the shooters are allowed to participate in live fire practice.