Here's the deal. In Indiana to be a full time police officer one must pass a 15 week basic academy that is certfied by the Law Enforcement Training Board. There are a number of different ways that one can be a Law Enforcement Officer without being a full time officer.
1) A Town Marshal - In Indiana, any department that consists of only the Marshal and not more than TWO deputies. The academy training for a Marshal is an 8 week course that coincides with various facets of the regular academy (i.e. firearms, emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, traffic and criminal law, etc.).
2) Reserve Police Officers - A reserve is any police officer who is not paid for his/her services. Reserves are only required, by state statute, to go through a 40 HOUR pre-basic course in which they are required to demonstrate firearms proficiency, an introduction to police work and emergency vehicle operations. After the conclusion of the "pre-basic" course, one may continue to work as a reserve officer.
3) Sworn, but not academy certified - A police officer who is paid to work and who has attended the 40 hour pre-basic course. A paid officer has one year from the date of appointment to attain academy certification. In plain terms - a paid officer can go through pre-basic and then work for one year for that department. If he wishes to be employed longer than one year he MUST be academy certified.
As for the comments about the firearms training. Here is the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy Qualification course of fire that must be passed to work as a LEO in Indiana.
240 Point course - 48 shots, 4 stages of fire. Standard B-27 silhouette target. Anything that MISSES the silhouette completely is a 5 point deduction. Anything ON the silhouette but completely outside the 7 ring is a 2 point deuction. Anything completely inside the 7 ring is a 1 point deduction. Anything from the 8 ring in counts as a hit. An officer must score a minimum of 192 three consecutive times before being allowed to work IN ANY position as a police officer in the state of Indiana.
3 yard line - six shots fired in two shot bursts, standing, strong handed, below eye level. Targets face and the shooter has 3 seconds to shoot both shots. This continues for 3 times which = six shots. Then the shooter has 10 seconds to switch to his weak hand and the process repeats itself, six shots, two shot bursts, 3 seconds to shoot.
7 yard line - 12 shots, two handed point shoulder shooting below eye level, stading fire. 20 seconds to fire all shots.
15 yard line - 12 shot, two handed point shoulder shooting, 6 standing and 6 kneeling. 25 second time limit.
25 yard line - 6 shots two handed point shoulder from the weak side of an upright baracade. 6 shots two handed point shoulder from the strong side of an upright baracade. Shooter has 50 seconds to fire all 12 shots.
The cast of Armed and Famous HAD to achieve this same standard or they are not LEGALLY able to use ANY police power in the state of Indiana. Therefore, it can be surmised that the cast at the very least met this qualification standard with their duty firearm and duty ammo.
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CLuv15
17 years ago
This is what I was gonna point out. My dad used to be a cop, and he told me that they most likely just went through the minimum amount of training that it takes to become a reserve police officer, which enables you to ride along.
"It's better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for you what you are not."
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Spartan10
17 years ago
The minimum amount of training, in Indiana, would allow them to go out on solo patrol, not just ride along. After going through the 40 hour pre-basic some departments...mostly small town or rural county sheriff's departments will put a reserve officer out on the road taking radio calls.
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