CENTRAL ILLINOIS POLICE TRAINING CENTER
Brian Fengel, Director
Phone: (309) 690-7355
Fax: (309) 690-7359
Heather Grove: hgrove@icc.edu
Diane Schrementi: ds018b@icc.edu
Robert Pyszka: rp717@icc.edu
Focus™ Gunfighter – Level 1
Instructor: Al Bello
August 17-18, 2026
8am – 4pm
Class will meet at: Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office Range, 21302 Illinois Route 9, Tremont IL
Enrollment Deadline: August 10, 2026
Course Size: TBD
Course Objective
FOCUS™ – Gunfighter Level 1 is a 16-hour, two-day, performance-based pistol course intended for experienced shooters who already possess a strong foundation in handgun safety and marksmanship. This is not a basic pistol class. Departments should refrain from sending below average shooters to this course. Rather, it is an advanced application course for officers who need to pressure-test their shooting ability in positions and conditions that more closely resemble actual gunfights. Students will work with optic-equipped duty pistols only and will fire approximately 1,000 rounds over two days in drills designed to challenge balance, grip integrity, target focus, visual discipline, stress management, positional adaptability, and engagement accuracy.
Instruction in this course moves beyond static marksmanship and focuses on the shooter’s ability to function when the fight becomes inconvenient, physically taxing, and mentally compressed. Students will engage from behind cover, while kneeling, from seated and grounded positions, while moving to positions of advantage, immediately after physical exertion, and from compromised body orientations such as supine or partially supported positions. The course also introduces practical point shooting concepts for close-range, high-speed engagements and teaches students how to maintain an effective pistol grip that supports recoil control, rapid recovery, and usable accuracy under stress. The overall intent is to expose officers to the messiness of real-world deadly force problems and condition them to continue performing with discipline, aggression, and precision.
*Students must be physically capable of elevating their heart rates safely and without medical concern.
*Students MUST be of average physical fitness or higher. (POWER test standard)
*Students MUST either be certified firearms instructors or have at least 3 shooting courses in their training history within the last 18 months.
*Students MUST bring 1000 rds of ammunition for the weapon they will shoot.
*Students MUST have an appropriate holster for their weapon/optic/light combo.
*Students MUST bring their duty belts.
*Students MUST bring their vests.
*Students MUST bring eye and ear protection.
*Students MUST bring 20 “dummy” training rounds for their weapon.
*Students MUST bring at least 3 training magazines for their weapon. 5 is preferred.
*Students MUST have an optic mounted on their handguns prior to arriving to class.
*Students MUST have their optic zeroed prior to arriving to class.
*Students should bring a knee pad.
*Student should bring a baseball hat.
*Student should dress for the weather is the range is outdoor.
Mobile In-Service Training Team#7 Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
MTU 7 request for certification of this course has been approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
Meets the following mandatory training criteria: TBD
