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| Deputies firing their rifles in the prone position |
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| Deputies Preston Dixon and Allison Mattera fire rifles from behind barricades |
Twice a year, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies attend rifle qualifications and training, honing their firearms safety, accuracy and marksmanship skills. Under the scrutiny of the agency’s Armorer and Chief Firearms Instructor, deputies train using their agency issued AR-15 rifles. Starting from a prone shooting position at a distance of 75 yards from the targets, the deputies must safely and accurately fire their weapons from various distances and shooting positions such as prone, standing, kneeling, and using barricades. The deputies complete their course of fire by advancing towards the target while firing their weapons. The qualification course is scored by the instructors and the results are forwarded to the Maryland Police Training Commission.
Remarking about the nice weather at the range on this day, “the officers need to be able to shoot in the rain, heat and in all conditions,” said Russell Trow, Chief Firearms Instructor.
