Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act HR-218 Qualification

HR 218 is a federal law, officially known as the "Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act" (LEOSA), which was enacted in 2004. It allows qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines, even in jurisdictions where they may not have otherwise been permitted to do so.

Under the law, qualified law enforcement officers (QLEOs) and qualified retired law enforcement officers (QRLEOs) are exempt from state and local laws that would otherwise prohibit carrying concealed firearms. The law defines a QLEO as an employee of a government agency who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest. A QRLEO is a retired QLEO who meets certain criteria, including having retired in good standing, having served for at least 10 years as a QLEO, and having met certain firearms training requirements.

It is important to note that while HR 218 allows QLEOs and QRLEOs to carry concealed firearms across state lines, it does not protect them from state and local firearms laws. They are still subject to the same laws and regulations that apply to ordinary citizens in the states and jurisdictions where they carry firearms. answer to this item.

Although this list is not exhaustive, qualified officers include those that are employed by or have retired or been separated from the following agencies:  LEOs employed by public agencies; Civilian police officers employed by the U.S. Government; Military police officers; Amtrak police; Federal Reserve LEO; and Officers of the executive branch of the federal government.Retired Local, County, State and Federal Law Enforcement Officers only. answer to this item.

In addition to the qualifications above, a qualified retired LEO (QRLEO)must have:

• Separated from service in good standing with a public agency as an LEO;
• Served as an LEO for an aggregate of 10 years or more, or separated from service after completing any applicable probationary period due to a service-connected disability, as determined by the agency;
• During the most recent 12-month period, met, at the expense of the individual, the standards for qualification in firearms training for active LEOs, as determined by the former agency of the individual, the state in which the individual resides or, if the state has not established such standards, either a law enforcement agency within the state in which the individual resides or the standards used by a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that state; and
• Has not been officially found by a qualified medical professional employed by the agency to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health or has not entered into an agreement with the agency from which the individual is separating from service in which that individual acknowledges he or she is not qualified under this section for reasons relating to mental health.

It should be noted that for retirees carrying under LEOSA, the federal law grants you NO enforcement authority. You are merely a citizen with a nationwide concealed carry permit.dd an answer to this item.

 The individual must carry photographic identification issued by the agency for which he/she is employed or from which the individual separated from service. This identifies the person as being or having been employed as a LEO and indicates that the individual has been tested or otherwise found to meet the active duty standards for qualification in firearms training as established by the agency to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm within 1 year before the date the individual is carrying the concealed firearm:

• By the agency; or
• By a certified firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty officers within that state or if the state has not established such standards, standards set by any law enforcement agency within that state to carry a firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm.

 Federal Locations & Laws

Individuals carrying under LEOSA/HR 218 are carrying under FEDERAL Law and so must follow federal laws and federal agency policies that restrict the carrying of concealed firearms in certain federal buildings and lands (including buildings in national parks) and on airplanes. They must also follow the Gun-Free School Zone Act (GFSZA) and cannot carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of elementary or secondary schools. Although the GFSZA authorizes on-duty LEOs to carry firearms in such circumstances, off-duty and retired LEOs are still restricted from doing so unless they have a firearms license issued from the state in which they reside, which is the only state where it applies. 

State Locations and Laws

LEOSA exempts all qualified active and retired LEOs from state and local laws with respect to the carrying of concealed firearms with a few exceptions. Individuals carrying under LEOSA must obey the laws of any state that:

• Permits private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property. Most concealed carry states require such private establishments to post signs at every entrance;
• Prohibits or restricts the possession of firearms on any state or local government property, installation, building, base or park (Check the Location Restrictions section for government properties that are off-limits in any state); and
• Has enacted magazine restrictions. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has ruled that state and local laws and regulations applying to magazines do apply, and the exemption provided by LEOSA applies only to firearms and ammunition.