Law Enforcement Advanced Firearms Instructor Development

40 Hours. Five Days. A Higher Standard for Firearms Instructors.

A qualification score does not make someone an effective instructor. Valortec’s Law Enforcement Advanced Firearms Instructor Development Program is a five-day, in-person instructor school focused on duty-handgun proficiency, human performance, shooter diagnostics, measurable evaluations, safe range management and teach-back methodology.

Built around The Science of Marksmanship, this Florida program is designed for professional firearms educators and eligible law-enforcement training personnel who need to demonstrate, diagnose, coach and evaluate rather than simply repeat a qualification drill. The September 14–18, 2026 class has ended; a new public session has not yet been verified. Request the next course dates, eligibility review or an agency proposal.

40 hours

Five-day instructor school

In-person

Live-fire and teaching evaluations

Florida

Lakeland hosted the prior session

Next dates

Request schedule and eligibility

What Is the Law Enforcement Advanced Firearms Instructor Development Program?

Valortec’s five-day, 40-hour Law Enforcement Advanced Firearms Instructor Development Program is a professional education program in Florida that focuses on developing firearms instructors who can demonstrate skills, identify performance errors, coach measurable improvement, maintain safe training environments and evaluate students consistently.

Traditional qualification tests establish a baseline. Instructor development goes further: it asks whether a trainer can explain why a shooter struggles, choose an appropriate correction and assess whether the improvement holds. Valortec’s science-based marksmanship approach combines human-performance concepts and adult learning with duty-handgun coaching.

Our position: A certificate of attendance is not evidence that someone can teach. Valortec’s published program emphasizes performance and instructional evaluation. Specific passing standards and any issued credential are defined by the applicable class offering; this is not an assertion of FDLE/CJSTC or NRA credential equivalency.

Four Pillars of the Valortec Instructor Development Method

1. Biomechanics and Weapon Control

Study how alignment, grip structure and human movement influence performance, with an emphasis on objective observation and responsible corrections.

2. Motor Learning and Visual Processing

Connect visual attention, neuromotor learning, feedback, training progression and skill retention to effective instructional practice.

3. Measurable Performance and Evaluation

Use defined standards and structured evaluations to distinguish recurring performance patterns from one-time errors and to assess student progress.

4. Instructor Methodology and Range Leadership

Develop clearer explanations, demonstrations, coaching communication, lesson plans, documentation and consistent range-safety systems.

What Instructor Candidates Work Toward

  • Demonstrating duty-handgun fundamentals against published class standards
  • Recognizing and explaining common shooter-performance problems
  • Delivering appropriate coaching and remedial-training plans
  • Managing firing lines, safety briefings and training relays
  • Building defensible lesson plans, practice progressions and training records
  • Briefing, demonstrating, teaching and evaluating under instructor supervision
  • Distinguishing minimum qualification from sustained professional performance

Training is intensive and results vary by student. Meeting individual evaluation requirements is not guaranteed simply by attending.

Who Is Eligible for This Instructor School?

This is not an entry-level civilian firearms class. The September 2026 session specifically advertised enrollment limited to active law enforcement and licensed law-enforcement firearms instructors. Its description also referenced agency instructor candidates and former officers, while separate Academy marketing describes other professional audiences. Because those descriptions are not identical, applicants should obtain individual eligibility confirmation before making travel plans or paying tuition.

Agency training coordinators, active officers seeking instructor assignments, current firearms instructors and eligible professional candidates can contact Valortec for screening and group-training proposals. Military and civilian instructor applicants should not assume acceptance without direct written confirmation for the selected session.

Prior Session Equipment Guidance

The September 2026 published program described the following equipment. These are historical planning details, not confirmed requirements for a future class:

  • Duty handgun or approved equivalent, duty holster/belt and four to six magazines
  • Eye and hearing protection, plus required range safety equipment
  • Notetaking materials, weather gear, hydration, and basic cleaning supplies
  • Approximately 1,800-2,500 rounds, depending on assessment and remediation needs

The event-specific course listing governs required equipment, age/eligibility rules, ammunition count, cancellation terms and safety evaluations.

Instructor Faculty and Professional Background

The published September 2026 faculty included Herfel “Boots” Torres, Domingo “Sunday” Perez and Okan Dikiz. Instructor assignments may change for future classes. Herfel Torres is Valortec’s Chief Operating Officer, a professional firearms instructor and author of The Science of Marksmanship.

Herfel Boots Torres, Valortec law enforcement firearms instructor
Herfel “Boots” Torres

COO / Master Instructor
Okan Dikiz, Valortec chief law enforcement firearms instructor
Okan Dikiz

Chief LE Firearms Instructor

Dates, Location and Tuition

Previous session: September 14-18, 2026, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, at Firearms Training Club of America / Tall Palm Ranch, 1421 Fish Hatchery Road, Lakeland, Florida. That event has ended. Its published standard tuition was $2,997, which should not be treated as a future-session quote.

Upcoming public sessions: No new dates have been verified on the public registration calendar as of October 12, 2026. Request the next available school dates, updated tuition, agency options and eligibility review. For the current Valortec class listings, consult the live registration calendar.

For historical course scope and conditions, see the archived September 2026 course announcement (closed to new registrations).

Instructor Development FAQ

Is the program 40 hours or five days?

Both. The published program is a five-day, approximately 40-hour in-person school, with hands-on instructional and performance evaluations. The precise daily timetable is shown in each confirmed event.

Do participants automatically receive instructor certification?

No. Valortec describes a competency-based program with defined performance and teaching assessments. The requirements for a completion certificate or Valortec program credential are established for each class. Do not assume it independently grants FDLE/CJSTC, NRA, state licensing, or instructor authority.

Who may enroll?

The prior event stated active law enforcement and licensed law-enforcement firearms instructors. Agency nominees, former officers, military applicants and others should ask Valortec to confirm eligibility for a future session.

Where are classes held?

The September 2026 school took place in Lakeland, Florida. A future class venue is not guaranteed until a new session is published and confirmed. See Valortec’s Florida training locations.

What is the tuition and what must I bring?

The previous class advertised $2,997. Future tuition, ammunition quantities, equipment, accommodation arrangements, cancellation terms and prerequisites must be confirmed from the new event or an agency proposal.

Can an agency arrange dedicated instructor development?

Agency training coordinators can request a discussion about scheduling, group size, lesson objectives, location and instructor-development needs. Any custom delivery terms require confirmation by Valortec.

Beyond Qualification. Build the Instructor.

An agency does not need another attendance certificate. It needs instructors who can explain performance, coach intelligently, evaluate consistently and uphold professional safety standards.

Review Valortec’s analysis of law-enforcement firearms qualification and competency, or meet the Valortec instructor team.