Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act (LEOSA) Firearm Qualification

H. R. 218 - Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act (LEOSA)

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office now offers H.R. 218 - (Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act) for any qualified law enforcement personnel.

LEOSA - Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act (18 USC. 926B; 18 USC 926C)

On July 22, 2004, President George W Bush signed into law The Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act (L.E.O.S.A.), which is also known as H.R. 218. The law allows qualified active and honorably retired law enforcement officers to carry their firearms concealed nationwide. Additionally, the law establishes the criteria that those individuals must meet annually in order to qualify as an active or honorably retired law enforcement officer. On October 12, 2010 President Barack H. Obama II signed S 1132, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act," into law. The Act, now Public Law 111-272, went into effect immediately. The bill improves the ability of retired officers to comply with the documents required by existing Federal law when carrying a firearm under 18 USC 926C and makes other modifications to existing law. On January 2, 2013 President Barack H Obama II signed H.R. 4310, the "National Defense Authorization Act," into law. The Act, now Public Law 112-239, went into effect immediately. The Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (LEOSA) as amended can be cited as 18 USC 926B (for active duty law enforcement officers) and 18 USC 926C (for retired or separated officer).

§ 926B. Carrying of Concealed Firearms by Qualified Law Enforcement Officers

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of any State or any political subdivision thereof, an individual who is a qualified law enforcement officer and who is carrying the identification required by subsection (d) may carry a concealed firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, subject to subsection (b).
This section shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that-
1. permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property; or
2. prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on any State or local government property, installation, building, base, or park.
As used in this section, the term "qualified law enforcement officer" means an employee of a governmental agency who-
1. is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under section 807(b) of title 10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);
2. is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm;
3. is not the subject of any disciplinary action by the agency which could result in suspension or loss of police powers;
4. meets standards, if any, established by the agency which require the employee to regularly qualify in the use of a firearm;
5. is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance; and
6. is not prohibited by Federal law from receiving a firearm.
The identification required by this subsection is the photographic identification issued by the governmental agency for which the individual is employed that identifies the employee as a police officer or law enforcement officer of the agency.
As used in this section, the term "firearm"-
1. except as provided in this subsection, has the same meaning as in section 921 of this title;
2. includes ammunition not expressly prohibited by Federal law or subject to the provisions of the National Firearms Act; and
3. does not include-
  1. any machinegun (as defined in section 5845 of the National Firearms Act);
  2. any firearm silencer (as defined in section 921 of this title); and
  3. any destructive device (as defined in section 921 of this title).
For the purposes of this section, a law enforcement officer of the Amtrak Police Department, a law enforcement officer of the Federal Reserve, or a law enforcement or police officer of the executive branch of the Federal Government qualifies as an employee of a governmental agency who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under section 807(b) of title 10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice)."

§ 926C. Carrying of Concealed Firearms by Qualified Retired Law Enforcement Officers

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of any State or any political subdivision thereof, an individual who is a qualified retired law enforcement officer and who is carrying the identification required by subsection (d) may carry a concealed firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, subject to subsection (b).
This section shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that-
1. permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property; or
2. prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on any State or local government property, installation, building, base, or park.
As used in this section, the term "qualified retired law enforcement officer" means an individual who-
1. separated from service in good standing from service with a public agency as a law enforcement officer;
2. before such separation, was authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and had statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under section 807(b) of title 10, United States Code (article 7(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);
3. (A) Before such separation, served as a law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or more; or
  - (B) separated from service with such agency, after completing any applicable probationary period of such service, due to a service-connected disability, as determined by such agency;
4. during the most recent 12-month period, has met, at the expense of the individual, the standards for qualification in firearms training for active law enforcement officers, as determined by the former agency of the individual, the State in which the individual resides or, if the State has not established such standards, either a law enforcement agency within the State in which the individual resides or the standards used by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State;
5. (A) has not been officially found by a qualified medical professional employed by the agency to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health and as a result of this finding will not be issued the photographic identification as described in subsection (d)(1); or
  - (B) has not entered into an agreement with the agency from which the individual is separating from service in which that individual acknowledges he or she is not qualified under this section for reasons relating to mental health and for those reasons will not receive or accept the photographic identification as described in subsection (d)(1);
6. is not under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance; and
7. is not prohibited by Federal law from receiving a firearm.
The identification required by this subsection is-
1. (1) a photographic identification issued by the agency from which the individual separated from service as a law enforcement officer that identifies the person as having been employed as a police officer or law enforcement officer and indicates that the individual has, not less recently than one year before the date the individual is carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found by the agency to meet the active duty standards for qualification in firearms training as established by the agency to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm; or
2. (A) a photographic identification issued by the agency from which the individual separated from service as a law enforcement officer that indicates the person as having been employed as a police officer or law enforcement officer; and
  - (B) a certification issued by the State in which the individual resides or by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State that indicates that the individual has, not less than 1 year before the date the individual is carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found by the State or a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that State to have met-
    1. the active duty standards for qualification in firearms training, as established by the State, to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm; or
    2. if the State has not established such standards, standards set by any law enforcement agency within that State to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm.
As used in this section-
1. The term "firearm"-
  1. except as provided in this paragraph, has the same meaning as in section 921 of this title;
  2. includes ammunition not expressly prohibited by Federal law or subject to the provisions of the National Firearms Act; and
  3. does not include-
    1. any machinegun (as defined in section 5845 of the National Firearms Act);
    2. any firearm silencer (as defined in section 921 of this title); and
    3. any destructive device (as defined in section 921 of this title); and
2. the term 'service with a public agency as a law enforcement officer' includes service as a law enforcement officer of the Amtrak Police Department, service as a law enforcement officer of the Federal Reserve, or service as a law enforcement or police officer of the executive branch of the Federal Government.

Please Note: For Georgia Residents to begin a background check, schedule an appointment by contacting Inventory Wynn Howard or Administrative Assistant Becky Reese.

Please complete the LEOSA Retiree Registration form prior to contacting Wynn Howard or Becky Reese.
LEOSA Registration Form
LEOSA FAQ
Your registration form must be notarized
You will be subjected to a background check

The registration packet must be sent to:

Columbia County Sheriff's Office
Attention: Internal Affairs
2273 County Camp Road
Post Office Box 310
Appling, GA 30802

What to bring:

Valid ID card from the Law Enforcement Agency from which you are/were employed
Weapon(s)
At least 100 rounds of ammo, per weapon
Belt holster with covered trigger guard (no cross-draw, shoulder/ankle holsters, fanny packs)
You must wear long pants, no shorts are allowed
Ear and Eye protection, as well as a billed hat
Qualifications will take place rain or shine on the day of your scheduled appointment. Make sure to dress for the weather
- You should arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment

All qualifications will be held at the outdoor range

Columba County Sheriff's Office Range Rules

You are personally responsible for every bullet that you fire; where it goes and the damage it may cause.

All Weapons Are Always Loaded!
- Rule Number 1 is a statement of mind, not a statement of fact. Even if your weapon is not loaded, handle it as if it is loaded. Many people are negligently shot with weapons that were believed to be unloaded. You must be deadly serious about always handling your weapon as if it is loaded.
- Do not charge a weapon on this range until you are on the line, ready to shoot, and told to do so - but be deadly serious about Rule Number 1.
Never Let Your Muzzle Point at Anyone or Anything You Are Not Willing to Kill or Destroy!
- Be aware of where your weapon is pointed at every moment it is in your hand. Uncase and case all weapons with the muzzle pointed downrange.
- "It isn't loaded" is not an excuse - again see Rule Number 1
- Keep your muzzle pointed downrange - never turn it sideways
- Never let the muzzle point higher than the backstop
Keep Your Finger off the TriggerUntil Your Sights Are Aligned on the Target and You Have Made a Decision to Shoot
- Keep your finger in the "index or home position" alongside the frame above the trigger guard until your sights are aligned on the target and you have decided to shoot. The reverse is also true; your finger goes back to the "index or home position" the moment you come off the target.
Be Sure of Your Target; What Is in Front and Behind It
- You are personally responsible for every bullet you fire. Any bullet that goes up will come down somewhere. Therefore do not point your weapon in the air above the target plane.
All loading and unloading will take place in the designated (Posted) loading and unloading area, unless on the firing line.
All shooters and spectators must wear a billed hat, safety glasses (regular or tinted), and hearing protection while on the range. Regular sun glasses, low-cut blouses, and shoes with open toes are prohibited.
Never bend over to pick up an item while on the firing line unless given the okay by an instructor.
When shooting steel targets:
- Never engage any steel target closer than 10 yards
- Never engage steel targets with shotgun slugs
- Never engage steel targets with high-powered rifle rounds unless you know for sure the steel is rated for such rounds
No drugs or alcohol allowed
- Safe shooting requires a clear mind. Persons under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or taking medication that suggests the user not to drive or operate machinery must not use this range while impaired.
All shooters will sign a release and indemnity form prior to using the range unless employed by this agency.