ALCOAST 091/21 - MAR 2021 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SAFETY ACT (LEOSA) CREDENTIALING

R 051932Z MAR 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST

UNCLAS
ACN 091/21
SSIC 16247
SUBJ:  LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SAFETY ACT (LEOSA) CREDENTIALING
A. 18 U.S.C. § 926B, Carrying of Concealed Firearms by Qualified Law
Enforcement Officers.
B. 18 U.S.C. § 926C, Carrying of Concealed Firearms by Qualified
Retired Law Enforcement Officers.
C. U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Manual (MLEM), COMDTINST
M16247.1 (series) (FOUO)
D. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Directive 257-01, Rev. 1
“Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act.”
E. Ordnance Manual, COMDTINST M8000.2 (series)
1. This ALCOAST announces the promulgation of the U.S.
Coast Guard’s LEOSA Credentialing Program in accordance with REFs
(A) and (B). LEOSA allows certain current and former law enforcement
officers (LEOs) to carry a personally owned firearm concealed while
off-duty, not in uniform, in any jurisdiction in the U.S. with
certain exceptions.
2. The U.S. Coast Guard LEOSA Credentialing Program specifies two
avenues by which a member may apply for credentialing.
   a. Current U.S. Coast Guard LEOs and Supervisors under REF (A),
and;
   b. Retired or Separated U.S. Coast Guard LEOs under REF (B).
3. Any U.S. Coast Guard LEO who meets all requirements may apply for
a “Coast Guard LEOSA LEO” or “U.S. Coast Guard LEOSA Retired/
Separated LEO” credential through Defense Consulting Services, the
that will process applications and distribute credentials. U.S.
Coast Guard LEO credentials are made at no cost to the government
through a secure, electronic, web-based application.
   a. Only the following persons are eligible to apply for a Coast
Guard LEOSA credential under REF (A):
      (1) Boarding Officers who:
          (a) Have graduated from Basic Boarding Officer School or
Boarding Officer Practical Course, to include legacy PQS Boarding
Officers;
          (b) Have the OPSBO qualification code assigned; and
          (c) Are currently certified as a Boarding Officer.
      (2) Coast Guard Police Department Officers (CGPD) who:
          (a) Have graduated from a DoD Military Police Course; or
          (b) Other Agency Equivalent; and
          (c) Are currently certified as a CGPD Officer.
      (3) Coast Guard Security Forces (CGSF) who:
          (a) Have graduated from a DoD Military Police Course; or
          (b) Other Agency Equivalent; and
          (c) Are currently certified as a CGSF Officer.
      (4) Special Agents in the Coast Guard Investigative Service
(CGIS) who:
          (a) Have graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center (FLETC); or
          (b) Other Agency Equivalent; and
          (c) Are currently certified as a Coast Guard Special
Agent.
      (5) LE supervisors must be authorized in accordance with
REF (E) to carry a government issued personal defense weapon
(GI-PDW) for the purpose of law enforcement. In accordance with
REF (A), first line supervisors of LE activities may apply for
a Coast Guard LEOSA Credential if:
          (a) They previously certified as a LEO by satisfying the
requirements of 3.a., above; or
          (b) Satisfied the requirements of Paragraph 3.c. of this
message, for personnel who have separated from a LE billet; and
          (c) Are currently authorized to carry firearms as per
REF (E).
      (6) First line supervisors of LE activities are as follows:
          (a) Commanding Officers or Officers-in-Charge of a
designated LE unit identified in Chapter 1 of REF (C), and
supervising at least one full time boarding team; or
          (b) Sector Chiefs of Response and Chiefs of Enforcement
(to include former Group Operations Officers) with law enforcement
oversight duties; or
          (c) Chiefs of Police or Deputy Chief of Police or Command
Security Officer (MLES) of CGPDs or CGSFs; or
          (d) Designated unit Law Enforcement Officers, Operations
Officers and Operation Petty Officers with law enforcement
oversight; or
          (e) Maritime Security Response Team, Tactical Law
Enforcement Team, and Maritime Safety and Security Team Operations
Officers.
   b. In order to be issued a Coast Guard LEOSA credential under
REF (A), members must:
      (1) Be 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
      (2) Have statutory powers of arrest; and
      (3) Be currently qualified and certified as a Coast Guard LEO
listed in Paragraph 3.a. of this message; and
      (4) Be authorized in accordance with REF (E), to carry a
government issued personal defense weapon (GI-PDW) for the purpose
of law enforcement; and
      (5) Not be the subject of any disciplinary action which could
result in loss of law enforcement or weapons qualification; and
      (6) Not have been officially found by a qualified medical
professional to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental
health; and
      (7) Meet firearms qualifications standards contained in REF
(E); and
      (8) Not be prohibited by Federal law from receiving or
possessing a firearm.
   c. Retired or separated Coast Guard law enforcement officers may
be issued a Retired or Separated Coast Guard Law Enforcement
Officer Credential. To be eligible to apply for a LEOSA credential
under REF (B), the law enforcement officer must have:
      (1) Retired or separated in good standing from the Coast
Guard as a law enforcement officer, other than for reasons of being
adjudicated as mentally defective, or being committed to a mental
institution as outlined in 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4) and 27 C.F.R. §
478.11;
      (2) Before such retirement or separation, was 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 had statutory powers of
arrest; and
      (3) Before such retirement or separation, was employed as a
law enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or more from
date of initial certification as a law enforcement officer. Time
served as a LEO in other law enforcement agencies shall count
towards the 10 years aggregate time, providing the member provides
documentation of service.
      (4) In accordance with REF (D), it is the policy of DHS that
a member who served as a law enforcement officer for a total
aggregate of 10 years and meets the statutory criteria in REF (B),
who then transfers, retires or separates from his or her law
enforcement position, is eligible under LEOSA. This includes if the
member converts to a non-law enforcement position within the same
or another component or agency, Coast Guard personnel who have
transferred from a law enforcement billet but remain in the service,
and who have otherwise satisfied the requirements in 18 U.S.C. §
926C, may apply for a LEOSA credential.
      (5) In order for time spent as a first line supervisor of law
enforcement to count towards the 10 year aggregate time requirement
of REF (B), the member must have:
          (a) Previously served in a position described in
Paragraph 3.a. of this message; and
          (b) Maintained firearms qualifications standards
contained in REF (E) during supervisory time.
      (6) In order to be issued a LEOSA credential as a separated
Coast Guard law enforcement officer under REF (B) persons must:
          (a) During the most recent 12-month period, have met, at
the expense of the member, the standards for qualification as set
forth in:
              1) the U.S. Coast Guard Firearms Training & Evaluation
– Pistol (FTE-P) Instructor’s Guide (https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/
units/cg721/CG-7211/FTE/FTEP%20Training%20Materials/Firearm's%20
Instructor%20(FAI)/Firearms%20Training%20and%20Evaluation%20Pistol
%20Instructors%20Guide%2020190412.pdf). Specifically, members must
meet the minimal scoring requirements of the Marksmanship Program
Management Section Combat Pistol Target (MPMS),
              2) the state in which the member resides or, if the
state has not established such standards, either a law enforcement
agency within the state in which the member resides, or
              3) the standards used by a certified firearms
instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification
test for active duty officers within that state; and
          (b) Not have been officially found by a qualified medical
professional employed by the agency to be unqualified for reasons
relating to mental health; nor have entered into an agreement with
the Coast Guard acknowledging that the member is not qualified for
reasons relating to mental health; and
          (c) Not be prohibited by federal law from receiving or
possessing a firearm.
          (d) In accordance with REF (D), the following documents
will be made available by Defense Consulting Services:
              1) A copy of the statute (18 U.S.C. § 926C);
              2) The factors that would prevent a member from
receiving or possessing a firearm under federal law (18 U.S.C.
§ 922); and
              3) A copy of the LEOSA fact sheet.
4. Members who meet the qualification criteria and desire to apply
for LEOSA credentials must follow the process below:
   a. Go to the secure website: https://www.linktocgleosa.com and
start a new application.
   b. Complete required information and submit documentation
showing all requirements have been satisfactorily met.
   c. Defense Consulting Services will verify information and make
a determination of eligibility. That determination will be forward
to Office of Law Enforcement Policy (CG-MLE-2) for review.
   d. Office of Law Enforcement Policy (CG-MLE-2) will make the
final determination to approve or disapprove the application.
   e. If approved, the agency contractor will issue the credential
to the applicant.
5. If issued either LEOSA credential, the credential holder must
ensure the credential is accompanied by a current firearms
qualification (within the last 12 months) from the member’s State of
residence, or approved Coast Guard certifying authority.
6. Follow the above process to renew an expired LEOSA credential. To
replace a lost or stolen credential, go to the above-referenced
website and follow the posted instructions to reapply. Ensure the
unit command and Office of Law Enforcement Policy (CG-MLE-2) are
notified of any lost or stolen LEOSA credential as soon as possible.
7. Issued credentials will be valid for a period of five years from
the date of issuance. If an active duty Coast Guard law enforcement
officer transfers to a non-law enforcement unit or billet, they will
be required to surrender their credential and obtain a retired or
separated credential if eligible. Applications for renewal will be
accepted within 60 days of the LEOSA expiration. Fingerprint cards
are not required for renewal applications.
8. Information on the LEOSA Program can be found at the COMDT
(CG-MLE-2) Portal page,
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cgmle/cgmle2/SitePages/Home.aspx.
Additional information can be located on the Defense Consulting
Services website, https://leosaonline.com/faq.html. Issuance of
this permit does not alleviate the member from understanding the
local firearms regulations in their jurisdiction. The members must
know and follow all state and local firearms regulations in this
regard.
9. These changes will be incorporated into the next revision of
REF (C), which will be released within the next year.
10. This message will be cancelled on 04 MAR 2022.
11. POC: COMDT (CG-MLE-2), CWO3 Lee Conroy, (202) 372-2171,
Lee.J.Conroy@uscg.mil.
12. RDML Scott W. Clendenin, Assistant Commandant for Response
Policy (CG-5R), sends.
13. Internet release is authorized.