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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 12.04.02.03" title_num="12" subtitle_num="04" chapter_num="02" heading="General Requirements — Authorized Firearms Classroom Instruction, Training, and Qualification, and Firing Line Supervision.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Handgun and Firearms Classroom Instruction, Training, and Qualification Requirements — General.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A police officer may not use or carry a firearm unless:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The firearm and any attached devices or equipment are approved by the police officer's law enforcement agency;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The law enforcement agency authorizes the police officer to use or carry the firearm; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The police officer successfully completes the applicable firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification for the firearm established under this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If a firearm becomes defective or unavailable to a police officer during firearms training or qualification, a substitute firearm may be used for the firearms training or qualification if the substitute firearm is the same type, model, manufacture, caliber, and barrel length as the defective or unavailable firearm.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>All handguns must be equipped with usable iron sights whether used as the primary sighting device or as a back-up, secondary sighting device.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Entrance-Level Firearms Classroom Instruction, Training, and Qualification.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>For an individual to be initially authorized to use or carry a firearm, except a secondary handgun or a firearm for which authorization is provided through conversion under Regulation .09 of this chapter, the individual shall successfully complete entrance-level firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification required for the firearm established under this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Entrance-level firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification may be:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Included in entrance-level law enforcement classroom instruction, training, and qualification under COMAR 12.04.01; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Independent of entrance-level law enforcement classroom instruction, training, and qualification.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Commission firearms training objectives required for the entrance-level firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification are available from the Commission upon written request.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Secondary Handgun.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Before a police officer may use or carry a secondary handgun, the police officer shall successfully complete entrance-level classroom instruction, training, and qualification for a primary handgun established under Regulation .04 of this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>After completing entrance-level classroom instruction, training, and qualification with a primary handgun, a police officer shall successfully complete the following requirements for the secondary handgun:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Annual handgun classroom instruction, training, and qualification course of fire requirements if the secondary handgun is the same type as the officer's primary handgun and the officer's agency does not require handgun conversion for the secondary handgun under Regulation .09 of this chapter; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Handgun conversion classroom instruction, training, and qualification requirements under Regulation .09 of this chapter for the secondary handgun if the secondary handgun is a different type than the officer's primary handgun.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Firing Line Supervision Requirements — General.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>At least one provisional instructor, line instructor, or firearms instructor shall be present for every five or fewer individuals on the firing line.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If more than one provisional instructor, line instructor, or firearms instructor is required to be present, the individual responsible for the firearms training and qualification shall designate a firearms instructor or line instructor to supervise the firing line.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>If more than 15 individuals are on the firing line:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The individual responsible for the firearms training and qualification shall assign a firing line controller; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The firing line controller may not be counted as part of the one-to-five ratio required under this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Firearms Classroom Instruction, Training, and Qualification Approval and Minimum Hours.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Commission Approval.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Written approval by the Commission is required for firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A law enforcement agency requesting approval shall submit the request to the Commission 20 days before the agency plans to start the classroom instruction, training, or qualification.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The minimum hours required for firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification established under this chapter:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Only include the actual hours of firearms classroom instruction, training, and qualification; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Do not include meals and breaks.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>