Morgan County Sheriff’s Office staff sharpen skills during annual firearms qualifications
“Line up at the 25-yard line — you’ve got 20 seconds,” a firearms instructor with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office called out as four patrol deputies raised their assault rifles and advanced downrange, unloading on their targets.
This past week, all Sheriff’s Office employees participated in annual firearms qualifications. By Friday, more than 100 employees — including patrol deputies, jail staff, school resource officers and administrative personnel — will be certified to carry and operate firearms.
“This qualification gives you confidence that when faced with a task, you can proficiently meet it,” said Mike Swafford, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office. “All the other training enhances your skills, but this qualification gives you the confidence that, ‘If I have to draw this weapon, I know I can handle it appropriately.’”
According to the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, annual firearms qualification is required for all sworn law enforcement officers in the state. Lt. Joey Coburn with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said Alabama only mandates annual pistol qualification. However, the Sheriff’s Office goes beyond the state requirement by ensuring deputies are trained and qualified with shotguns and rifles as well.
“All Sheriff’s Office employees except for jail staff carry assault rifles,” Coburn said.
He added that the agency has tailored its rifle and shotgun certifications over the years to reflect real-world scenarios law enforcement may encounter, including potential hostage situations.
“Being accountable as a department and having documentation showing that these guys are proficient in what they’re doing is what’s going to benefit us and them in the long run,” Coburn said.
For pistol qualification, deputies are required to shoot 12 rounds from the 25-yard line — six while standing and six from a kneeling position.
Throughout the week, groups of sheriff’s employees are rotating through their outdoor shooting range on Shull Road Northeast in Hartselle to complete their qualifications. Several were training Tuesday, with more scheduled throughout the week.
Deputies must qualify with their firearm upon being hired, but even newly hired patrol deputies are required to return to the range during the department’s designated annual training week.
“If you get hired as a patrol deputy two weeks ago, you would have to be qualified to carry the firearm that you have,” Coburn said. “But more likely than not, you’re also going to have to come out here this week and qualify. That’s just so we can have everyone on the same schedule and have everyone come through in May.”
Swafford noted that while corrections officers don’t carry weapons while working inside the jail, they are required to be armed when transporting inmates.
The Sheriff’s Office also offers specialized firearms training throughout the year, including low-light shooting, shoot/don’t-shoot scenarios, firing from cover, and shooting under stress. Deputies in the Criminal Investigations and Narcotics divisions often participate in these exercises.
Coburn said the state minimum passing score for pistol qualification is 70, but the office’s 12 firearms instructors — all expert marksmen — consistently score 95 or higher.
“The minimum score for SWAT team members is a 90, and for rifle qualification, it’s a 94,” Coburn said. “SWAT is obviously more likely to experience something a patrol deputy might not, so we hold them to that higher standard.”
