Firearms Training

The BNSF Railway Resource Protection Solutions Team's certified firearms instructors receive 40 hours of firearms instructor certification training each year and are responsible for instructing police officers three times annually.  RPST training sessions are taught in eight-hour blocks of instruction covering assorted topics:  Use of force, weapons and officer safety, handgun, shotgun and rifle basics, cover and concealment, combination handgun and shotgun/rifle exercises, paint gun exercises, and shoot, don't shoot scenarios.

Transition Training: Officers must attend and pass a preliminary 16-hour  Transition Training Course before they are authorized to carry semi-automatic pistols.

Qualification:  RPST officers must qualify three times per year on an RPST handgun and shotgun day and night qualification course to be authorized to carry their duty weapons.  Officers who carry backup weapons and rifles must also qualify on a Backup Handgun Qualification Course and a Short Range Rifle Qualification Course annually

Handgun, Shotgun and Rifle Training:  All RPST officers receive training in the care, maintenance and safety of their service weapons.  Basic marksmanship skills are taught with emphasis on combat shooting techniques.  Combination Courses (handgun/shotgun, handgun/rifle) are designed to familiarize officers with their weapons in combination.

Shoot Don't, Shoot Scenarios:  RPST police officers experience simulation training through live-fire shooting range courses developed by its certified instructors.  Paint ball exercises are used in their real working environment to simulate situations encountered by the RPST police team.  RPST has acquired five PRISim™ training system units. To learn more about the PRISim™ system click here.

Use of Force:  Firearms training is not a stand alone training block.  RPST certified firearms instructors are also certified in defensive tactics.  These instructors develop courses or simulated training exercises which give the officer level-of-force choices to control the situation.