Training

Updated: 04/23/2008

Firearms-Related Training | Arson and Explosives Training

Firearms-Related Training

National Firearms Examiner Academy
(Course ID FRMS-PG-0002)

The National Firearms Examiner Academy provides training for apprentice/entry level firearm and toolmark examiners from Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The Academy curriculum is composed of the fundamentals of firearms and toolmark examinations and serves as a basis for the trainee, under supervision, to develop into a qualified firearm and toolmark examiner. Click here for more information on the National Firearms Examiner Academy. The application deadline for the 2008 session of the ATF National Firearms Examiner Academy is January 15, 2008.
Applications for this training will be accepted from law enforcement laboratories. Portions of this training will be held at the ATF National Laboratory Center in Ammendale, Maryland. There is no cost for the training, however, students and/or their home agencies are responsible for certain travel related expenses. More detailed information about this and other aspects of the program, to include an application, is available here.

Course Dates:

Course

From

To

Location

NFEA 0801

03/2008

02/2009

Ammendale, MD

Contact:
Special Agent Jim Yurgealitis at (240) 264-1401, or Management Analyst Sheila Hopkins at (240) 264-1477.

Serial Number Restoration Training
(Course ID FRMS-CS-0022)

Course Description: This is a 3 day class which supports the identification and tracing of firearms recovered in criminal investigations. It is highly advanced and technical in nature. Students receive hands-on training utilizing various methods to raise obliterated serial numbers from firearms.
Host Laboratories: Applications to host this training will be accepted from law enforcement laboratories. The host laboratory will be required to provide various chemicals, supplies, firearms, and facilities to accommodate the training. Supplies required include chemical reagents, spray bottles for water, adequate classroom and lab space including two - three operating fuming hoods, power point projector, and flip chart or blackboard. The host laboratory may invite the appropriate number of students their facility will accommodate. Please contact training coordinators listed below for host agreement.
Prerequisites for Attendance: Students must be working currently in the position of Firearms/Toolmark Examiner or Trainee in a Forensic Laboratory or provide documentation verifying that they perform restorations for their department. Students must bring lab coat and protective eyewear to class.
For training scheduled at State and Local Enforcement Laboratories: Host laboratories may invite students from their lab as well as other jurisdictions. However, all students are required to complete and submit the State and Local Training Registration Request available on this website. Students attending training at host labs must bring 10 firearms for restoration. Firearms that have been designated for destruction by student's department may be utilized. Serial numbers will be obliterated during class practical exercises. There is no cost for the training however students are responsible for their own travel, lodging and incidental expenses.
For training scheduled at the ATF National Laboratory Center : Applications for this training will be accepted from law enforcement laboratories. The training will be held at the ATF National Laboratory Center in Ammendale, Maryland. There is no cost for the training however students are responsible for their own travel, lodging and incidental expenses. Firearms will be provided by ATF for the restoration practical exercises.
All prospective students (regardless of class location) must complete the State and Local Training Registration form available here and fax it to (240) 264-1487 (NOT the general fax number listed on the registration form)

Course Dates:

Course

From

To

Location

0804

05/13/2008

05/15/2008

Ammendale, MD

0805

06/17/2008

06/19/2008

Ammendale, MD

0806

07/15/2008

07/17/2008

Ammendale, MD

Contact:
Special Agent Jim Yurgealitis at (240) 264-1401, or Management Analyst Sheila Hopkins at (240) 264-1477, FAX (240) 264-1487.

Toolmark Identification and Comparison Training
(Course ID FRMS-CS-0027)

Course Description: This class supports the identification and comparison of toolmarks commonly encountered in criminal investigations. It is highly advanced and technical in nature. Students receive training in tool manufacture, common tool action and the toolmarks they produce as well as perform fracture and physical match examinations. Students will receive pre-course material approximately two weeks before the class which they are responsible for prior to arrival. Due to the amount of material covered in this course students can expect after hours reading and study assignments.
The class encompasses a full five (5) days of training, Monday through Friday. Students should schedule their travel accordingly.
Who Should Attend: Applications for this training will be accepted from law enforcement laboratories. The training will be held at the ATF National Laboratory Center in Ammendale, Maryland. There is no cost for the training however students are responsible for their own travel, lodging and incidental expenses.
Prerequisites for Attendance : Students must be currently working in the position of a qualified Firearms/Toolmark Examiner in a Forensic Laboratory within the United States. The curriculum is not designed for an examiner trainee. Students may be requested to provide documentation verifying that they perform Toolmark Examinations for their department. Each student must bring a lab coat and eye protection.

Course Dates:

Course

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Ammendale, MD

Contact:
Special Agent Jim Yurgealitis at (240) 264-1401, or Management Analyst Sheila Hopkins at (240) 264-1477.

 

Project Safe Neighborhoods Enforcement Training
PSN 3-Day Program

Program Description: This three-day, intensive course on illegal firearms interdiction is a collaborative effort among the U.S. Department of Justice, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National District Attorney’s Association, the National Crime Prevention Council and ATF. The goal of this training is to improve the level of crime gun interdiction and prosecution through a multi-disciplinary approach that emphasizes team building among the course participants: Assistant U.S. Attorneys; state and local prosecutors; state and local police officers and sheriffs; and ATF special agents. The course is based upon ATF's Firearms Trafficking Techniques Course and incorporates elements from IACP Firearms Investigation and Interdiction Technical Assistance Program. The course focuses the resources of each partner on initiating, perfecting and prosecuting cases involving firearms traffickers and armed violent offenders. The course is specifically designed to support Project Safe Neighborhoods and is intended for maximum impact in a single city or community.
The training is actually three separate courses in one, providing a totally integrated training package from arrest to courtroom, from patrol officers to agency heads.

The main track is designed for line prosecutors and investigators. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, district attorneys, police, sheriff’s deputies, and ATF special agents all train together. Topics include firearms trafficking; enforcement strategies; characteristics of armed gunmen; firearms identification; firearms tracing and crime gun analysis; state and Federal firearms law; presenting cases to prosecutors; prosecution strategy; designing dynamic partnerships and getting started. Whether you are a new prosecutor or an experienced law enforcement officer, the course material is ideal for anyone who is involved in putting violent armed criminals, and the illegal gun traffickers who arm them, behind bars. All speakers are leading experts in their field and internationally recognized.

    1. Characteristics of Armed Gunmen - The difference between the charges of carrying a concealed weapon and homicide is about two seconds - the time it takes to draw and shoot an illegally carried weapon. This 4-hour course, designed for state and local police officers in support of the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII), provides officers with skills and abilities needed to recover crime guns from the street prior to their use in additional crimes of violence. The course includes detailed instruction on identifying characteristics of persons who carry concealed firearms; legal issues concerning stop and frisk; and articulating probable cause for searches. Recover more crime guns and increase your personal margin of safety while on the street.
    2. Firearms Identification and Tracing Techniques – This 4-hour course is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to accurately identify firearms based upon markings and firearm characteristics. It will teach officers everything they need to know to identify a firearm as a piece of evidence for court or provide unique identifying information so the weapon can be traced. During the course students will have the opportunity to identify numerous firearms from technically accurate line drawings to test the development of their skills. Topics covered include firearms nomenclature, Federal firearms marking requirements, caliber designations, commonly misidentified firearms, proof marks, firearms trafficking schemes, firearms trace procedures, the benefits of comprehensive crime gun tracing, and an overview of the YCGII program.

Dates/Locations:

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Contact:
Special Agent Tim Carroll (Project Safe Neighborhoods Training Program Manager) at (202) 648-8332.

PSN Site Support

(Course ID 1 Day Course FRMS-CS-0016)
(Course ID 2 Day Course FRMS-CS-0017)
ATF's Office of Training and Professional Development can work with your office, in conjunction with the ATF Field Division in your area, to custom design training that contains blocks of instruction from any of the classes listed above. Classes can be designed for law enforcement officers, prosecutors or a combination of both groups. The curriculum varies by site and is tailored to the needs of the jurisdiction requesting the training. Core materials frequently contain, but are not limited to:

Dates/Locations:

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Contact:
Special Agent Tim Carroll (Project Safe Neighborhoods Training Program Manager) at (202) 648-8332.

 

Arson and Explosives Training Programs

State and Local Training Registration Request
Click here for the State and Local Training Registration Request
Crimes involving arson and explosives are the most devastating crimes confronting our society. They destroy property, disrupt human lives, and place an ever increasing economic burden upon our citizens. The increasing number of violent acts involving arson and explosives has established a greater need for State and local investigators with a high level of expertise.
In response to this problem, and by virtue of its statutory authority under Title XI of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, ATF initiates investigations and assists in State and local bomb and arson investigations. ATF's experience in these investigations has shown that a cooperative effort between trained State and local officers and ATF results in more effective investigations.
In order for law enforcement to adequately combat these violations, cooperation among Federal, state, and local agencies is essential to achieve this coordinated effort.
As part of this cooperative effort, ATF offers training in arson and explosives for state and local investigators and prosecutors. Click here for a copy of the State and Local Training Registration Request.

Courses:

Advanced Explosives Destruction Techniques
(Course ID EXPL-CS-0001)

Click here for the State and Local Training Registration Request
Program Description: In 1999, ATF explosive experts recognized a disturbing fact: Bomb technicians in the United States were more likely to be killed or injured while conducting an explosives disposal operation than any other mission, including attempting to render safe an improvised explosive device. Moreover, numerous bomb squad accident investigations conducted by ATF revealed that additional training was the single most effective way to attempt any reduction in the number of these accidents.
In response to this need, the ATF Office of Training and Professional Development, in cooperation with the ATF Explosives Technology Branch, developed the AEDT training program for bomb technicians and explosives specialists. AEDT provides in depth classroom and range instruction in virtually every aspect of explosives disposal.
ATF provides travel and lodging in addition to training, classroom materials and range tools. Students are also reimbursed a daily per diem rate as determined by GSA. The course is delivered at the ATF Explosives Training Branch located at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.
Curriculum includes:

Duration of course: Two-week period with Monday of first week and Friday of second week as travel days. The weekend is open. Eight (8) days instruction.
Prerequisites for Attendance: Applicant must be a full time public safety official trained as a Bomb Technician and whose mission includes destruction of explosive materials. Selections are based on several factors, which includes but is not limited to, verified assignment, and geographical balance.
Application: Download application at http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f64001.pdf Send the completed application via fax to the attention of Cheryl Basham at (804) 633 -0405. Those selected will be contacted via email of available course dates.

Dates/Locations:

Course

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Ft. A. P. Hill, VA

Contact:
Chief, Explosives Training Branch at 804-633-1555 ext 12 for additional information.

Post Blast Investigative Techniques II
(Course ID EXPL-CS-0002)

Click here for the State and Local Training Registration Request
Program Description: Program Description: This is an intermediate course designed to further enhance an investigator’s proficiency in conducting explosion investigations and to promote coordination of investigative activities with other agencies. This course was originally developed by ATF in conjunction with other explosives experts and members of the IABTI (International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators).
The training includes, classroom participation, an explosives demonstration and several range days of investigating various explosion incidents.
Applicant must provide his or her own transportation to the training facility. ATF provides training, classroom materials, range tools and lodging. Students are also reimbursed a daily per diem rate as determined by GSA.
Some of the topics covered include:

Length of Training: Eight (8) days instruction comprised of a two-week period with Monday of first week and Friday of second week as travel days. The weekend is open.
Prerequisites for Attendance: Prerequisites for Attendance: Applicant must be a full time public safety official whose primary mission is to investigate bombing incidents and other explosions. Selections are based on several factors, which includes but is not limited to, verified assignment, investigative experience, and geographical balance.
Application: Download application at http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f64001.pdf. Send the completed application via fax to the attention of JoAnn Akridge at (804) 633 -0405. Those selected will be contacted via email of available course dates.

Dates/Locations:

Course

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Ft. A. P. Hill, VA

Contact:
Chief, Explosives Training Branch at 804-633-1555 ext 12 for additional information.

Post Blast Investigative Techniques I
(Course ID EXPL-CS-0013)

Click here for the State and Local Training Registration Request
Program Description: This is a basic post blast course designed to teach a systematic method of investigating an explosion scene. The course provides instruction in explosives identification and applications, explosives effects, IED component recognition and evidence collection. The course is delivered at a variety of locations throughout the United States based on requests from ATF Field Divisions.
The course is comprised of classroom participation, an explosives demonstration and actual investigation of a post blast scene.
Student must provide his or her own transportation, lodging and meals. ATF provides instructors, classroom supplies, training materials, and range tools. Student selection is conducted by the ATF Field Office hosting the training. Please contact the local ATF Field Office hosting the course for more information.
Some of the topics covered include:

Length of Training: 5 class days
Prerequisites for Attendance: Applicant must be a full time public safety official whose primary mission is to investigate bombing incidents and other explosions. Selections are intended to facilitate coordination of agencies in the area of operation where the training is being produced.
Application: Download the application at http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f64001.pdf . Contact the local ATF field office where the training site is being held for transmittal of application.

Dates/Locations:

Course

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

TBA

Contact:
Chief, Explosives Training Branch at 804-633-1555 ext 12 for additional information.

Chemistry of Pyrotechnics and Explosives
(Course ID EXPL-CS-0005)

Program Description: This course is designed to provide advanced training in the chemistry, identification, and effects of energetic materials with an emphasis on pyrotechnics. Dr. John Conklin, Professor Emeritus at Washington College in Chestertown, MD, teaches the course. The course is delivered at Washington College, Chestertown, MD.
Curriculum includes:

Duration of course: Three (3) days instruction with travel on Monday and Friday of the training week.
Prerequisites for Attendance: Applicant must be a full time public safety official trained as a Bomb Technician and whose mission includes destruction of explosive materials. Selections are based on several factors, which include but are not limited to, verified assignment, and geographical balance.
Application: Download application at http://www.atf.gov/forms/pdfs/f64001.pdf. Send the completed application via fax to the attention of JoAnn Akridge at (804) 633 -0405. Those selected will be contacted via email of available course dates.

Dates/Locations:

Course

From

To

Location

TBA

TBA

TBA

Chestertown, MD

Contact:
Industry Operations Investigator Judy LeDoux at 202-648-8408 for additional information.