This course is designed for sworn law enforcement officers tasked with the multiple facets of chemical agents, including safety, training, proper deployment, tactical applications, decontamination, administrative duties, and liability.

The OTOA Chemical Agent Instructor Course is a 32-hour, instructor-level program designed for law-enforcement personnel responsible for chemical-agent training or program management within their agencies.

This course goes beyond the mechanics of deploying chemical agents. Students learn how to safely develop, manage, teach, document, evaluate, sustain, and defend a professional chemical-agent program.

Course content includes chemical-agent history, law, and doctrine; agent types, forms, and delivery systems; equipment selection; respiratory protection; storage, transportation, and disposal; deployment planning; vehicle applications; crowd incidents; decontamination; documentation; liability; range management; instructor development; and agency program sustainment.

Classroom instruction is reinforced through demonstrations, coached repetitions, practical application, controlled live-agent exposure and student-led teaching. Students must successfully complete written and practical evaluations.

Graduates return to their agencies prepared to serve as technical subject-matter experts and capability builders who can provide safe, effective, and defensible chemical-agent training.

This course is designed to educate students on best practices regarding the use of chemical agents. 

• Safety Considerations
• Training
• Tactical Application
• Decontamination
• Adminsitrative Duties
• Criminal and Civil Liability
• Instructor development and teach backs
• Students must pass a written final exam and a practical applicaiton presentation

Required Equipment:

• The Following Munitions: two (2) ferrets and (2) handheld chemical agent munitions (for students who must fly to the course, please contact training@otoa.org to discuss options)
• A 37mm/40mm chemical agent launcher for the munitions brought to the class
• Gas mask/Air Purifying Respirator and an extra filter
• Hearing protection (that can be worn with a gas mask/APR)
• Nomex or heavy-duty tactical gloves
• Eye protection
• Tactical uniform and boots or other appropriate clothing
• Calculator
• Smart device (i.e. Laptop, iPad/Tablet and/or Smart Phone)

Classes begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. each day. A lunch break will be provided. While there will be a classroom component, the majority of the training will take place on the range.

• If you are allergic to bees, outdoor plants, or animals, please bring your epinephrine pen or other medication.
• Life-threatening allergies and pre-existing injuries or conditions must be reported to the OTOA training staff on day one of training.

Students are responsible for their lodging, transportation, and food.