TexasCHLforum.com

I realize there are twice as many Texas CHL holders as in 2002, but we also have 4 TIMES as many instructors. When I took the Instructor course in 2002, there was one course a year offered during the Summer, and only 200 would be accepted. The State was able to be somewhat selective on who got to attend. Now it appears there are several courses a year. Are these classes smaller or is the State training 800-1000 new instructors a year.

Just as there has been an increase in students, there has been an increase in instructor applicants. (Probably because we just make it look so easy!)

But, I don't think DPS was ever "selective". If you were in the first 200 applicants that year, you got in. If not, you could go the next year. Now, you only have to be in the first 1000, or so, to get in!

The number of Instructors has only increased by 45% since 2002. In 2002, we had 1,490 instructors and in 2010 we were up to 2164. That's an increase of 674. http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... aphics.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chas.

During my recent class, we were told there are about 500 applicants waiting to take a class. Our class was 68 in number. They feel this class size is more manageable and they can be more certain we are learning what we need to. They said when the recent renewals came, there were quite a few who did not renew so that the new applicants will just bring the total number of licensed instructors back up to about the same numbers they were before December 31. I seem to remember being told the number of currently licensed instructors will be a little under 3000 when the 500 are processed but Charles may have the latest figures.
We were told there would be an increase in auditing to check records as well as more checking up on instructors they are getting complaints about. They want to weed out any bad instructors and help anyone who is just making honest mistakes.

One thing of concern is the passage of the Reciprocity law. One version appears to make it possible for Texans to just get any state's chl license to use here for carry (cheap, easy, fewer requirements). This could obviously really hurt the instructors here in Texas and concerns them that there may be more risk of incidents involving persons ignorant of the laws.

Based on the stats available at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... aphics.htm
In 2002:
224,172 active CHLs / 1,490 instructors = 150 active CHLs / instructor
62,623 approved CHL applications / 1,490 instructors = 42 approved CHL applications / instructor

In 2010:
461,724 active CHLs / 2,164 instructors = 213 active CHLs / instructor
102,133 approved CHL applications / 2,164 instructors = 47 approved CHL applications / instructor

So the student to instructor ratio is still higher than it was in 2002. (Note: The stats do not distinguish renewals that did not require training.)
Of course, the stats don't reflect how many of those instructors actively teach, so the apparent activity among instructors may have increased beyond what is reflected in the stats.

I stand corrected. I read a post last night that said we currently had 4000 instructors. I tried to find the actual number and could not. I remember my Instructor class was at a University of Texas Building and the non-LEO students were strongly encouraged to take our handguns out to our cars.(just in case they forgot the law) We qualified near downtown Austin across the street from a funeral home. That was the old DPS range. We always felt during a funeral they must get a real "message from above" with 50 handguns firing at once. There were many bullet holes in the metal overhang. Those rounds had to end up where people were.

And one more thing.....I distinctly remember walking 2 miles up hill, in the snow, barefooted to get to class!!!!!

TexasGal wrote:One thing of concern is the passage of the Reciprocity law. One version appears to make it possible for Texans to just get any state's chl license to use here for carry (cheap, easy, fewer requirements). This could obviously really hurt the instructors here in Texas and concerns them that there may be more risk of incidents involving persons ignorant of the laws.

Please be more specific. What law?

Was this taught in your class?

smoothoperator wrote:

TexasGal wrote:One thing of concern is the passage of the Reciprocity law. One version appears to make it possible for Texans to just get any state's chl license to use here for carry (cheap, easy, fewer requirements). This could obviously really hurt the instructors here in Texas and concerns them that there may be more risk of incidents involving persons ignorant of the laws.

Please be more specific. What law?

Was this taught in your class?

Sounds like she's talking about "The Utah Problem".

Maybe but Utah changed their law almost a year ago. From the future tense I thought it was about a bill that's currently being considered by a legislative body. That's why I asked what law.

smoothoperator wrote:Maybe but Utah changed their law almost a year ago. From the future tense I thought it was about a bill that's currently being considered by a legislative body. That's why I asked what law.

Yes, but there are other states with the same "problem". And the legislature won't meet again until next year. I don't think the legislature (or DPS) considers the matter closed, but there are no current bills.

smoothoperator wrote:Maybe but Utah changed their law almost a year ago. From the future tense I thought it was about a bill that's currently being considered by a legislative body. That's why I asked what law.

There's also concern about the Federal legislation that's being considered.

clarionite wrote:

smoothoperator wrote:Maybe but Utah changed their law almost a year ago. From the future tense I thought it was about a bill that's currently being considered by a legislative body. That's why I asked what law.

There's also concern about the Federal legislation that's being considered.

Good point! I hadn't thought about that!

I bet that is what she was talking about.

Yes, I was referring to the Federal law being considered often called the national right to carry or national reciprocity law. As of the first week in April, Senate Bill 2213 is sitting. Senate bill 2188 is in committee and has been read twice. House bill HR822 is already passed the House.
In general terms, the license of any state that allows carrying handguns would be honored in all other states that allow it. Some think it is a great idea. Others think it is opening a door to the feds we should not open. If the final version is passed that allows our citizens to carry here with licenses from other states, there is concern anyone could just get the cracker jack version offered by some states online. This could have a large impact on Texas instructors and cause a lot of people to carry here who know little or nothing of our laws or how to handle the gun they are carrying around.

In class we were told one of the versions being considered would not allow texans to carry here under other states licenses if they were inferior to ours. The other versions don't protect us this way. I have not yet read the details of each to know which is which.


http://www.nraila.org/legislation/feder ... enate.aspx

Keep in mind too that number of instructors doesn't equate to ~active~ instructors. I know folks who were in the Jan class with me that are yet to teach their first class. Some may teach once and decide it isn't for them, but maintain their cert. Others plan to "get around to it." When you look at the TXDPS list of instructors (and these are only the ones who requested to be published) I know several counties which list someone as instructors, and no one has ever heard of them. I guess I assumed before anyone spent the time and money to get their certification, they would have had things figured out in advance how they were going to pursue this, but doesn't seem to be the case. Has anyone heard a number/guestimate of ~active~ instructors?

They should add CHL to LEOSA or repeal LEOSA. One or the other needs to happen, because the current situation is worse than either of those alternatives for anyone who honors their oath to the United States Constitution. Even a little bit.