The Los Angeles Police Department is one of the biggest police departments in the world. It is famous for its SWAT Team, immortalized in film and TV forever. The LAPD has a ton of different qualifications for a wide variety of weapon platforms. Today, we are looking at the LAPD Bonus Course.
The Bonus Course was first established in 1964, and the name comes from the pay bonus attached to an officer’s score. This isn’t a required course of fire to become an LAPD police officer. The pay bonus received per payday isn’t something substantial, and it seems like bragging rights more than anything else.
As of 2022, there have only ever been 42 people who have shot a perfect score.
In terms of pay, I can’t find a 2024 pay scale. The latest I can find is from 2015:
- Distinguished Expert: 385 points on average for six consecutive months – $32 per paycheck
- Expert: 380 to 400 points – $16 per paycheck
- Sharpshooter: 340 to 379 points – $8 per paycheck
- Marksman: 300 to 339 points – $4 per paycheck
While the financial rewards of excelling in the Bonus Course may not be substantial, the real prize lies in the challenge and the bragging rights.
The LAPD Bonus Course
We’ll shoot six distinct phases of fire at ranges between seven and 25 yards.
Supplies
We’ll need 40 rounds of ammo per run. That’s a substantial amount of ammo, but it remains under a single box. If you’re training on the cheap, it’s still not incredibly demanding.
You’ll be shooting at two targets. The LAPD uses the BT 55 target with dedicated scoring zones. Unfortunately, I don’t have BT 55 targets.
I’m not getting paid by the LAPD, and if you’re like me and looking to train, we can use a variety of targets. I’m using an FBI Q Target. Your target will need a distinct chest and head. Printing some Sage Dynamic head and body targets is a cheap way to shoot this drill. These targets are free and small enough to pose a significant challenge.
You’ll need a belt with a mag pouch and two magazines for the course of fire. Also, remember to bring hearing protection, eye protection, and a shot timer.
Bonus Course Start Positions
Through the six phases of the LAPD Bonus Course, we’ll see two start positions: close contact and low-ready. Before we start, let’s ensure we are all on the same page.
Low Ready
The low ready is very simple. The gun is in front of you, both hands are on the gun, and your gun is pointed into the dirt at roughly a 45-degree angle.
Close Contact
The close contact position is a close retention position. Your dominant hand grips the gun, which is oriented toward the target and hovers right above your holster at your waist. Your support hand is at chest level.
Shooting the LAPD Bonus Course
As mentioned above, the six phases of the LAPD Bonus Course will have you shooting between seven and 25 yards. The course of fire starts at seven yards and gradually moves backward. Each phase has its ammo requirements, and I’ll list those, so make sure your magazine is loaded with enough rounds to complete the phase.
Phase 1: 7 Yards, Six Rounds In One Magazine
At the seven-yard line, start in the close-contact position. At the beep, you’ll extend and fire two shots on the right target torso and two shots on the left target torso. You have three seconds to fire all four shots.
Come back to the close contact position. You’ll extend and fire one headshot at each target at the beep in 1.5 seconds.
Phase 2: 7 yards, Six Rounds In One Magazine
We’re sticking to seven yards and starting in the close contact position. At the signal, extend and fire two rounds into the right target, two rounds into the left target, and finish with two rounds into the right target once again. You have to finish this phase in 3.5 seconds.
Phase 3: 10 Yards, Six Rounds In One Magazine
We are repeating Phase 1 but doing it at 10 yards instead of seven. The big difference is that we are starting in the low-ready position. At the timer’s beep, you’ll fire two rounds to the right target and two rounds to the left target in three seconds.
Resume the low ready and fire one headshot into each target in 1.5 seconds.
Phase 4: 10 Yards, Six Rounds In One Magazine
Phase 4 is similar to Phase 2, but not exactly. This phase has three timed sections, and we’ll start with the low-ready rather than the close-contact position.
For this phase, you will shoot two shots at the targets’ bodies multiple times. You’ll shoot left, right, then left again, but each two shots is its own timed event.
- Fire two shots to the left target in two seconds and resume the low-ready position.
- Fire two shots at the right target in two seconds and resume the low-ready position.
- Fire two final shots on the left target in two seconds and end the phase.
Phase 5: 17 Yards, One Mag of Four Rounds and One Mag of Six Rounds
Who picks 17 yards? That’s such a weird range. Anyway, it’s a reload phase of the bonus course!
You’ll be firing 10 rounds in total. Load your firearm with the four-round magazine first and have the six-rounder in your magazine pouch.
Start with the gun holstered.
At the beep, you will draw and proceed to fire alternating shots on the left and right targets until the gun goes empty. You’ll then conduct a reload and fire the remaining six shots in the same alternating fashion.
You have 30 seconds to complete the drill.
Phase 6: 25 Yards, Six Rounds In One Magazine
At 25 yards, we’ll be using a barricade. This drill comprises three separate timed events, shooting around the right side of cover, the left side of cover, and over the top of cover.
Begin on the right side of the barricade with the gun aimed at the target and the finger on the trigger. You’ll fire one shot on each target at the signal in four seconds.
The second event has shooters on the left side, aiming at the target with your finger on the trigger. You’ll fire one shot on each target in four seconds.
Finish it up by starting over the top of the barricade, aiming at the target with your finger on the trigger. You’ll fire one shot on each target in four seconds.
Cold Range
We are done! Make clear, holster, and score. You’ll score via the rings if you have the BT 55 target. You’ll need to self-evaluate if you’re like me and are using this to train.
Overall, I feel the LAPD Bonus Course isn’t difficult to pass but difficult to master. Getting a perfect 400 isn’t easy. I did have a fair bit of fun with this course of fire.
As a guy who wants to be faster at holster draws, I think more draws should be included in the Bonus Course. Give the LAPD Bonus Course a spin and see how you do! Are you taking home some extra cash in your paycheck?
