NEWS

Patrol Rifle Instructor Training, August 2009
ALL OFFICERS attending firearms training through MTU #10 will be required to submit a photocopy of their valid FOID card upon registration IF the weapon they will be using is personally owned.  This requirement does not apply to those officers whose weapons are supplied by their department.
Parking at the LETAC Training Center continues to be a problem.  Despite signs posted on the door and in the training room, class participants are continuing to park in spots assigned to building employees (not just our office, but the other two offices in the building as well).  This results in disruption of class when we must ask them to move their vehicles.  At times, when vehicles are moved, they are parked in lots of neighboring buildings, taking THEIR employee and customer parking. We are asking that you please remind your officers to park in the unmarked spots in our parking lot, or along the street.  Ride sharing is always strongly suggested. Thank you.
**Welcome to the LETAC Training Center**

Here are a few “housekeeping” rules to make sure things run smoothly for everyone:

 1.)    Please park only in unmarked spots in our parking lot, or along the street.  Numbered spots are reserved for employees of the other offices in the building.  If you park in one of these spots, we will be asked to have you move your car immediately.  Please do not park in adjacent lots…It will give US, and YOU a bad name!

 2.)    Please close the front office door behind you when going in and out.  Our air-conditioning and heating systems have a hard time keeping up.  Leaving that door open makes it practically impossible.

 3.)    Please make sure you sign your name and department on the GREEN roster sheet located on the back table in the training room.

 4.)    Registration forms and required handout materials have already been placed on the tables for you.

 5.)    Please complete the PINK registration form and turn it in on the instructor's desk by the end of the 1st break of the morning.  We will collect the forms and Sandy will enter you into our training database (which requires your social security number) and type & print your certificate from this information. Most days, your certificates will be available upon completion of the class.  If they are ready, they will be laid out on one of the empty tables in the training room.  Please don’t forget to take them with you.

 6.)    If you need a pen or paper, please help yourself to those on the back table in the training room.  If we’re out, let us know and we’ll replenish the supply.

 7.)    Restrooms are located to the right of the front desk in the outer office.  Let us know if we’re running low on supplies so we can replenish them before the next person runs out!

 8.)    There is no smoking or chewing tobacco allowed anywhere in the building.  Smokers can smoke outside of the front door.  There is an ash can for your butts.

 9.)    Coffee and refreshments are located in the break room all the way down the back hallway, on your right.  Please help yourself.  You may use the refrigerator to store your own food and drink, but please do not take anything that you didn’t put in there!  There is also a soft drink machine in the back of the training room for your convenience.

 10.)  Please use the Recycling Bins at the back of the training room for your aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and paper.  Everything else should go in the trash.  If your can or bottle still has a beverage in it, you can leave it on one of the tables and we will empty them out before putting them in the bins.  Thank you for your assistance with this.

 11.)  Take note of the bulletin board in the front office - all of our upcoming course flyers are posted there.  (These are also always available on our website: www.letac.org.)  **IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY ON OUR BULK EMAIL LIST FOR TRAINING FLYERS, PLEASE SEE US TO SIGN UP!**

 12.)  Please help yourselves to any leftover handouts located on the table in the front of the training room.  However, handouts, booklets, or publications of any kind, which are located anywhere else in the building, are not to be bothered – they are for future training or meetings and are not “extras”.

 13.)  Please keep noise to a minimum in the hallways, as there is work being conducted in the offices. 

 14.)  Please complete the YELLOW evaluation form at the end of the training class and leave on your table for us to collect at the end of the day.

 15.)  Please see MTU staff if you need anything else or have any problems.  We thank you - and enjoy the training!

DISCLAIMER:

Any opinions expressed, outside of the curriculum, during training sessions are exclusively those of the individual instructor or student, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, attitudes, and/or opinions of the Law Enforcement Training Advisory Commission Advisory Board and/or Staff.

Please bear in mind that while attending training, you are in an academic setting.  Therefore, it is expected that ideas, opinions, and real-life examples may be used as an aide in emphasizing the learning objective to students.  The classroom should be considered a "safe zone" where all discussion/conversation should remain confidential.  Students should feel safe to ask questions and "kick around" ideas in this setting. 

It is not the intention to criticize or offend anyone either in the classroom, or in the community. However, there may be times when a comment is made which might be interpreted by some as offensive.  We ask that you bear in mind that hindsight is 20/20, and that lessons are often learned by dissecting and evaluating the actions of ourselves and others which may have contributed to an avoidable situation.  Using these kinds of examples is invaluable to the learning process.  Please remember that real life examples are used as a learning tool, and not as a personal commentary or criticism of the event and/or those involved.

A Few Additional Reminders

Treat any furniture, fixtures, or equipment at the training facility with care.  (We can't afford to pay for broken chairs and fixtures or repainting walls - if we spend $$ on that, it means less training for YOU.)
   
Please use the Course Evaluation Form to evaluate the course and/or request additional training needs.  It is not intended to be used as a catering critique form or to complain about the weather or how hard the chairs were. 
 
If you are registered for a class and you find that you cannot attend, please notify the office as soon as possible.  Someone may be waiting anxiously to hear that we have a cancelation so that they can get into the class.  This is a courtesy to your fellow officers.
 
If you are not registered for a class, please do not assume that there will be room for you and show up anyway, unless you are a substitute for an officer who was registered and unable to attend.  Most courses require handouts (some quite extensive) - and we only make enough for those who are registered.
 
If at all possible, check the website and your email before you go to class.  Sometimes dates and locations are changed and messages are not always passed on to the appropriate person.  It may save you a trip to the wrong place on the wrong day.
 
Please put cell phones on "vibrate" while in the classroom.  We know you are very important person and that you need to be reached easily at all times, but please try your best not to disrupt class.
 
Please pay attention to the Instructor while in class.  We understand that some of you may not want to be sitting in class, but it's very rude to read the newspaper or talk to your fellow officer while the instructor is teaching - and it's not his/her fault, or the fault of the other officers in class that you have to be there. 
 
Please try your best to be on time to class in the morning and after the lunch break. 

Please fill out the Registration Forms completely and make sure you turn them on time.  We only ask for the information we need - nothing more.  It goes as far as our files and reports to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board.  We do not share this information with anyone else, for any reason.  If we do not receive this information from you, we cannot give you credit for having attended the training.

Please refrain from entering any "employee only" areas of the building.  Officers should not be in staff offices or file/storage areas unless given specific permission to be there.  Do not use office phones, fax, or any other office equipment without being given permission to do so.

Please do not arrive for training before more than 30 minutes before class begins, as you will not be able to enter the building until that time.  

If you must arrange for someone to pick you up after class, please make sure they pick you up on time. Our office closes its doors at 4:30.

Please be reasonably quiet when in any area of the building outside of the training room or break room.  Please refrain from shouting or holding loud discussions in the hallways or lobby.  If you need help with something or want information on future training, don't hesitate to ask.  Otherwise, staff members are working in their offices and should be disrupted as little as possible.
 
Your cooperation in adhering to these simple, basic rules of conduct is GREATLY appreciated.  It is our goal to make sure that the officers in MTU #10 get the training they need and feel that the time they spend in class is time well spent.  We will do everything possible to make this happen, and we sincerely appreciate your assistance.

CHIEFS' 20 HOURS OF MANDATED ANNUAL TRAINING

Chiefs' 20 Hours of Mandated Annual Training  (22Kb)  (As of January 1, 2006, all Police Chiefs in Illinois are required to attend 20 hours of training on an annual basis.  This memo explains the new law and includes the form to report this training to the Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board.)  ANY CHIEF WISHING TO OBTAIN HIS/HER TRAINING RECORDS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR, TO ASSIST IN COMPLETING THE FORM, MAY CONTACT THE LETAC OFFICE TO RECEIVE A PRINTOUT VIA FAX OR EMAIL.  This training is to be reported by the end of the CALENDAR year.  Please complete and send your form to the Training Board no later than December 31 of each year.

ILLINOIS RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CONCEALED CARRY

MTU #10, in cooperation with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board, is proud to be involved in the establishment and ongoing operation of the Illinois Retired Officer Concealed Carry (IROCC) office. IROCC is a self-funded program. The certification/qualification fees charged to retirees cover the costs associated with the administrative and certification process.

IROCC’s website provides the forms necessary to be completed by the retired law enforcement officer for certification. Also available are a copy of the legislation, contact information, and a FAQ section. At this time, you may access a link to the IROCC website on our "links" page.

The IROCC office is now up and running, and sending out application forms to interested retired officers. Please refer any calls and/or questions to Lance Charlson, Jennette Jones, or Ernie Ashby at:

IROCC
3171 Greenhead Drive, Suite B
Springfield, IL  62711
Phone: 217/726-9537 * Fax: 217/726-9539 * Email: irocc@letac.org

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Act 94-103 Now Requires All Illinois Police Officers To Qualify Annually In Firearms

IF YOUR DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT QUALIFICATION MEETS OR EXCEEDS THESE STANDARDS, YOU DO NOT NEED TO CHANGE YOUR COURSE OF FIRE.  HOWEVER, PLEASE SUBMIT A REPORT OF YOUR CURRENT QUALIFICATION STANDARDS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING & STANDARDS BOARD SO THAT IT CAN BE KEPT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT'S FILE.  THANK YOU.

Public Act 94-103, effective July 1, 2005, made changes to the Peace Officer Firearms Training Act and now requires "Annual Firearms Certification" for all peace officers. In pertinent part, the Act (50 ILCS, 710) states:

(New) Sec. 2.5 Annual Range Qualification
The annual range qualification shall consist of range fire approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Sec. 1 defines "peace officer" as any person who by virtue of his office or public employment is vested by law with the primary duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for offenses, whether that duty extends to all offenses, or is limited to specific offenses...

While the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is mandated to approve the minimum standards annual range qualification, it is the mandate and responsibility of each local law enforcement agency to ensure compliance. The Board, at its meeting on September 8, 2005, adopted a State mandated course of fire for annual range qualification consisting of 30 rounds of fire, to be administered according to specifications and requirements outlined below.

The Board is currently preparing a special "Agency Compliance Firearms Roster" that will be provided to every department in the near future, so the department may document their agency and officers' compliance with the new provisions of the Act.

The "Agency Compliance Firearms Roster" will be submitted to the Board office by the chief law enforcement administrator, once per year, after all officers have complied. The deadline for compliance will be June 30 of each year, with the first year compliance report due on or before June 30, 2006 and then on or before June 30 of each year thereafter.

The Board will provide agencies with detailed reporting procedures in the near future. However, in the interim, it is imperative that every agency begin steps to implement the required range qualifications as soon as possible in order to comply with Public Act 94-103.

Please note that the range qualifications detailed in the attachment are the State's minimum standards. If an agency wishes to impose firearms qualification standards that exceed the State minimum standards, that is their prerogative.

Should you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the Board office. Public Act 94-103 also pertains to "Concealed Carry for Retired Law Enforcement Officers. The complete Act can be viewed on the IROCC website.

STATE OF ILLINOIS
MANDATORY ANNUAL ACTIVE DUTY AND RETIRED OFFICER
HANDGUN QUALIFICATION COURSE OF FIRE

Total Rounds: 30
Distances fired from Target: 5, 7, and 15 yards (25 yards optional)
Target Scoring Area: 81/2 x 14 inch overlay / center mass of target
Handgun Type: Semi-auto / Revolver; minimum capacity 5 rounds
Minimum Passing Score: 70%

For Duty Handgun Qualification, all stages of fire will commence from a secured holster. For off duty / retired officer qualification, all stages of fire will commence with the handgun in hand from the "low ready" position.

Where indicated below, the word "DRAW" requires the shooter to withdraw the handgun from a secured holster on the command to fire. The word "PRESENT" means that the shooter has the handgun in the shooting hand in low ready (depressed muzzle) position and stands ready for the command to fire.

5 Yard line – Total of 12 rounds
Stage 1 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds
Stage 2 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds
Stage 3 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds
Stage 4 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds
Stage 5 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds
Stage 6 Draw/Present and fire 2 rounds in 6 seconds

Shooters will reload without command as needed between stages of fire.

7 Yard line – Total of 12 rounds
Stage 7 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 7 seconds
Stage 8 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 7 seconds
Stage 9 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 7 seconds
Stage 10 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 7 seconds

15 Yard line – Total of 6 rounds
Stage 11 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 10 seconds
Stage 12 Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 10 seconds

25 Yard line – OPTIONAL DISTANCE

OPTIONAL Stage 12: Draw/Present and fire 3 rounds in 15 seconds (in lieu of the second three round string at 15 yards)

The above course of fire is the minimum required. All agencies may include any modification that increases the level ofdifficulty such as reloading, alternate hands, movement, time restriction, or other job related skills.