Standards

The following standards have been adopted by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office for the standardization of Concealed Carry Weapons training for its citizens. The following standards are designed as a minimum only and they do not limit individual instructors from providing training in excess of these minimum standards.

Course Length

  • Standard course- minimum 8 hours
  • Renewal course- minimum 4 hours

Education / Training

The instructor must be certified as a DOJ HSC Certified Instructor, POST firearms instructor, or BSIS firearms instructor per Placer Code 31635.

Liability Insurance

A minimum of $1,000,000 policy shall be in place covering all applicants at the time of any live-fire events. This policy may be held by the instructor or by the range where the event takes place, as long as the applicants are covered. The CCW instructor shall notify the CCW coordinator as soon as they become aware that the insurance policy in no longer valid.

Business License

If a business license is required in the jurisdiction where you provide your classroom instruction, the instructor shall maintain a current business license. If the instructor is employed by someone else, the primary business/employer must be licensed.

Curriculum Standards

  • Gun Safety
  • Nomenclature
  • Fundamentals of ammunition
  • Fundamentals of marksmanship
  • Fundamentals of drawing/holstering
  • The California Penal Codes (on the Department of Justice application)
  • Brandishing a firearm
  • Willful discharge of a firearm - including warning shots
  • Property crimes (simple definition) - vs. threat of great bodily injury or death
  • Less than lethal force options vs. lethal force
  • Defend or retreat? Escape possible? Potential for further harm?
  • Potential liability (criminal/civil)
  • State law as to where it is not permissible to CCW (as well as Penal Codes Department of Justice (DOJ) restrictions) issuing authority (PCSO) restrictions
  • Federal laws where it is not permissible to CCW
  • DOJ conditions and restrictions on carrying a concealed weapon
  • Documentation required at the time of CCW appointment

Range Qualification

  • The location of where qualification shooting will be held must be identified.
  • Cell phone or land line access must be available from the site for emergency notification.
  • A range safety plan must address first aid, safety equipment.
  • Instructor must inspect each firearm and verify the weapon’s serial number.
  • Applicants must qualify with each weapon listed on their application.
  • Course of shoot for qualification.
    • Your qualification course of fire must be specified, identifying each distance, the minimum number of rounds fired, and number of hits required for qualification.
    • Your qualification course instruction shall address; Firearms Safety
      • Basic Shooting
      • Manipulations
      • Mechanical Functions
  • On a case by case basis, the instructor may be allowed to modify the course of fire due to limitation of the range and for persons with disabilities and/or other matters of concern to the instructor.

Certificates of Completion

  • Must be on 8 ½ by 11 paper, single sided
  • Instructors name must be printed and signed
  • Each weapon must include make, model, and serial number
  • State that the student has qualified with each listed weapon
  • Indicate the student has passed the CCW 8 hour course or 4 hour refresher course.

Other Related Items

  • CCW instructors are required to recertify every two years to remain on the PCSO list.
  • Although not required, it is strongly recommended that the below instruction is provided to PCSO applicants.
  • PCSO website instructions -Each agency may have different instructions and instructing the applicants to read their specific agency website carefully.
    • Instructions on which sections of the DOJ application to complete for PCSO- Instructing the applicants to follow each agency’s web instructions carefully as some ask that section 7 of the application be completed and other do not.
    • Just Cause- Applicants should have some basic knowledge of the importance of the Just Cause Statement as standards vary greatly from agency to agency.
    • PCSO Conditions/Restriction- Each agency may have specific conditions and restrictions for license holders but most are listed on the DOJ application.