Don, laws change so much and so often, I don't even try to keep up with all of them.:laughing: But the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (H.R.218) said officers with 15 years of service. The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2010 changed that to 10 years and added some people, specifically "a law enforcement officer of the Amtrak Police Department, a law enforcement officer of the Federal Reserve, or a law enforcement or police officer of the executive branch of the Federal Government qualifies as an employee of a governmental agency who is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest." So, yes, under Federal law, it's 10 years.
But under State law, Texas Penal Code, Section 46.15 (5), it's still 15 years.
And under the Texas Occupation Code, Section 1701.357, qualification is good for 2 years in Texas. But under Federal law, I need to qualify annually if I carry a concealed gun out of the state.
But now, I'm going to have to ask someone why the last two lines on the back of my "Certificate of Proficiency" last year showed:
"H.R.218 - expires 1 year from date of qualification
Texas State Law - expires 2 years from date of qualification"
But my new "Certificate of Proficiency" simply says:
"The card expires on the last day of month - 1 year from date of qualification listed on front."
As for that HPD application . . . well, each department has to establish written rules and procedures. When I retired, my ID card simply had my name, rank, and that I was retired. When the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 went into effect, I had to go to the Personnel Division where they made a photo and a new ID card that says "Honorably Retired after 24 years." So in the case of Dallas officers, the ID card that shows "honorably retired" and the number of complete years, along with the "Certificate of Proficiency" card serve the purpose of a CHL. Perhaps Houston puts all the information on one form????
But I really don't understand why an officer, retired or active, would want to go through the procedure and cost (even with a discount) to get a CHL when it's not needed to legally carry a concealed weapon. The only thing I can think of is that the actual shooting course is much easier for a CHL than the police course, the minimum passing score for the CHL is 70 instead of 80 for the police course, and the Texas CHL only has to be renewed every 4 years instead of one. Maybe if a retiree lived a long ways from his old department . .????
