Participants in the annual Old Timers Shoot gathered for a group photo before they began qualifying for a federal license to carry a concealed weapon.
photo by Mitch Talley
Participants fire away on the course, which is located on Old Prater’s Mill Road and has been used by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office for training purposes since 1982.
photo by Mitch Talley
Whitfield County Training Instructor Phillip Herren talks to the group about use of force. Here, he’s explaining the Georgia law explaining when it is legal to use force against another person.
photo by Mitch Talley
Safety is the name of the game when it comes to handling weapons, as emphasized by this sign at the Shooting Range.
photo by Mitch Talley
Jeff Silvers of the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office grades a shooter’s efforts afterwards.
photo by Mitch Talley
They’ve turned in their badges, but they’re not ready to hand over their weapons yet.
Approximately 40 area officers who have retired from law enforcement turned out March 18 and put on an impressive display of their shooting prowess during the annual Old Timers Shoot at the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office Shooting Range on Old Prater’s Mill Road.
The officers, who together have a total of “well, well over 1,000 years” of law enforcement service, came to the event to qualify for another year of earning a federal license to carry a concealed weapon, according to Whitfield County Training Instructor Phillip Herren.
Under the guidance of Mr. Herren and other active members of the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, the 40 retirees - including one female - all qualified for their licenses after shooting several rounds at targets from several distances, including 25 yards, 15 yards, seven yards, and three yards, behind and without barricades, crouching and standing.
“To get their license, they’re required to attend an hour class on use of deadly force,” Mr. Herren said, “and then they have to shoot a qualifying score on the Georgia Qualification Course with the type of weapon they’re going to carry.”
After the qualifying sessions had come to an end, the retired officers headed inside the range building for another reward - a lunch featuring grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.
Participating retirees represented several agencies from the Northwest Georgia area, including Whitfield County, Walker County, Chattooga County, Catoosa County, and Murray County sheriff’s offices, Dalton Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Natural Resources. This year there were even a few officers from the Atlanta area as word apparently continues to spread.
“We’ve been doing this every year since 1982,” Mr. Herren said. “The sheriff provides the range, we cook hamburgers and hotdogs for everybody, and the guys enjoy getting to see each other another year.”