The New Bakersfield PD Qualification

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Bob Jewell recently wrote about the updated Bakersfield PD qualification course, and his writeup was picked up by Eric Lamberson of the Sensible Self Defense blog.

https://www.sensibleselfdefenseblog.com/2025/02/the-new-bakersfield-police-department.html

The original article is here

Click to access USCCA-July-2024-Waidelich.pdf

The original target design was tracked down and shared by many with an interest in the history of handgun training.

According to Bob Jewell, Bakersfield now uses a USPSA target scored 10/9/6 for the A, C and D zones.

The updated test is

• Stage 1: Two rounds at 10 feet in 2 seconds

• Stage 2: Two rounds at 20 feet in 3 seconds

• Stage 3: Two rounds, combat reload and two rounds at 30 feet in 7 seconds

• Stage 4: Two rounds at 60 feet in 4 seconds

Overtime shots score zero points. BPD uses a turning target system. I suggest using the industry standard “any shot more than 0.3 sec overtime is late”, developed because the buzzer length on most shot timers is 0.3 seconds.

This past Sunday I had a few minutes before an afternoon Basic Pistol course, and I needed to function test an M&P Shield that was going to be used as a class loaner gun. Having just read Eric’s article, I grabbed two magazines for the Shield and got KR Training assistant instructor Uncle Zo to record me using his Shooters Global timer that can record shot times with video in their app.

My run on the updated Bakersfield PD qual is here

I managed to keep all 10 in the A-Zone for a perfect 100 points. The Shield is upgraded with XS F8 sights, but I’ve been shooting a dot mostly this year. So it took some concentration to hit the 60 foot (20 yard) shots with the irons on the subcompact gun. I also tested the ETS plastic 9 and 12 round Shield magazines. Students had used both during Saturday’s class, and the 12 round magazine had not run reliably. I only used the 9 round magazine for the cold run on the Bakersfield qual so that the video would show a true cold run with no “mulligans” or do-overs.

The Bakersfield qual is a simple 10 round evaluation of multiple skills and ability to shoot at 4 different practical distances – arm’s length, car length, across a room, and across a street. Give it a try during your next dry fire or live fire session! Bakersfield standards are that 80 points passes.