Designated Reserves (Czech Republic)

Designated Reserves Level 1 training - shooting from concealment.

Designated Reserves of the State (Czech: Stanovené zálohy státu) is a militia-style training program provided to civilian firearm owners under auspices of the Government of the Czech Republic. The program provides practical shooting training to participants in different levels, focused on individual defensive gun use, soft targets protection, defense against active attacker, and use of firearm during state of emergency. Members of the Designated Reserve may be called up with their private firearms as reinforcement of emergency services, and, apart from the basic level participants, receive free ammunition (or reimbursement thereof) for their shooting training.[1][2]

See also: Gun law in the Czech Republic and History of Czech civilian firearms possession
Designated Reserves Act
Parliament of the Czech Republic
  • Act on the handling of weapons in certain cases affecting the internal order or security of the Czech Republic
CitationNo. 14/2021 Coll.
Passed byChamber of Deputies
Passed26 October 2020
Passed bySenate
Passed17 December 2020
Signed byPresident Petr Pavel
Signed21 December 2020
Commenced30 January 2021
Legislative history
First chamber: Chamber of Deputies
Bill citationChamber Bill No. 669 (8th Legislature)
Introduced byDeputy Jiří Mašek (politician) [cs] and 23 other deputies
RapporteurJana Černochová
Introduced6 December 2019
Distributed to members6 December 2019
Committee responsibleSecurity Committee
First reading3 June 2020
Second reading7 October 2020
Third reading23 October 2020
Voting summary
  • 89 voted for
  • None voted against
  • 3 abstained
Second chamber: Senate
Received from the Chamber of Deputies24 November 2020
RapporteurVáclav Láska
Committee responsibleForeign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee
Passed17 December 2020
Voting summary
  • 64 voted for
  • None voted against
  • 6 abstained
Related legislation
Government Regulation No. 255/2022, on the implementation of the Act on the handling of weapons in certain cases affecting the internal order or security of the Czech Republic
Status: In force

Along with the 2021 Firearms Act Amendment, the Parliament passed also an Act No. 14/2021 Coll., on the handling of weapons in certain cases affecting the internal order or security of the Czech Republic. The Act's number 14/21 symbolically refers to the 600th anniversary of civilian firearms possession in the country.[3] The legislation establishes "a system of firearms training, the purpose of which is to improve the knowledge, abilities and skills of persons authorised to handle firearms for the purpose of ensuring internal order or the security of the Czech Republic".[4]

Details regarding the Designated Reserve and system of firearms training are dealt with in Government Regulation No. 255/2021. Within the system, private companies approved by the authorities provide advanced shooting training to firearm owners that have E (concealed carry) type of license.[5] After passing a set of requirements and taking an oath, the participants become part of the Designated Reserve of the State, whereby they may be called up with their private firearms to support the work of police or armed forces in a crisis event. While the law anticipates founding of firearms training for both internal security as well as defense, as of 2023 only the former was in place.[3]

Training under auspices of Ministry of Interior

Firearms training for purposes of internal security consists of three general and one additional level. The training is provided by specifically licensed private companies and conducted under auspices of the Ministry of Interior. Participants become members of the designated reserve after accomplishing all Level 1 requirements, including oath taking.[1]

For Level 2 and higher, the ammunition cost is reimbursed by the Government[6] and selected parts of the training may be conducted by mutual combat with use of simunition.[7]

Level Main focus Extent Content
1 General defensive gun use 8 hours theoretical[8] Law, deescalation, tactics, practicalities of concealed carry, analysis of real DGU situations, first aid
8 hours practical[9] 250 rds of ammunition
Pistol or rifle
Shooting from various positions, on move, from concealment, firearm failures, etc.
Shooting test[10] A stage similar to IPSC
Taking oath[11] I pledge allegiance to the Czech Republic. - I promise that as a citizen and patriot I will respect the principles of the democratic rule of law and will selflessly perform the tasks that will be imposed on me as a member of the Designated Reserves of the State. - I promise to act responsibly, courageously and modestly in the performance of the tasks of the Designated Reserves of the State and in civic life. - If necessary, I will resolutely endure the discomfort and dangers involved. - I promise to always exemplify the principles of safe handling of weapons."
Designated reserve
2 Soft targets protection and defense against active killer[12] 8 hours theoretical Best practices, safe handling in public spaces, aftermath, analysis of real cases, first aid in mass casualty incident, proper response to discovery of explosives, etc.
8 hours practical Pistol, 150 rounds, up to 50 meters.
Complex decision making situations, moving and disappearing targets, one-handed shooting, transitioning between pistol and rifle, etc.
8 hours practical Rifle, 150 rounds, up to 100 meters.
Similar as pistol above.
3 State of Emergency[13] 8 hours theoretical Law, tasks of state services and private individuals, command and coordination, civil defense, use of body armor and CBRN equipment, first aid in state of emergency situations
12 hours practical Pistol, 300 rounds, up to 50 meters, in body armor
12 hours practical Rifle, 300 rounds, up to 300 meters, in body armor
4 Individual training Members of the Designated Reserve shall each receive 500 rounds (or reimbursement of 500 rounds) annually which they are bound to use for individual training.[14]

Training under auspices of Ministry of Defense

The legislation anticipates establishment of courses for internal security under auspices of the Ministry of Interior, and for state defense purposes under auspices of Ministry of Defense.[1] As of 2023, only the former has been established.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Bartošek, Jan; Bačkovská, Milena (2021). Zbraně a střelivo [Guns and ammunition] (in Czech). Prague: C. H. Beck. ISBN 978-80-7400-843-6., page 231-237.
  2. ^ Brunn, Miloslav (24 January 2022). "Programy střelecké přípravy [System of firearms training]". gunlex.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Gawron, Tomáš (14 August 2023). "Vláda neplní programové prohlášení ohledně obrany a civilního držení zbraní [Government fails to implement programme statement on defence and civilian possession of weapons]". zbrojnice.com (in Czech). Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ Act No. 14/2021 Coll., Art. 4(1)
  5. ^ Act No. 14/2021 Coll., Art. 10
  6. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 19(1).
  7. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 10(3).
  8. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 5.
  9. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 6.
  10. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 14.
  11. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 16(1).
  12. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 7.
  13. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 8.
  14. ^ Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll., Art. 19(2).