Designated Reserves (Czech Republic)
{{Short description|Czech militia-style training program for firearm owners}}
File:Designated_Reserves_(Czech_Republic)_-_Level_1_training.jpg
Designated Reserves of the State ({{langx|cs|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.{{cite book |last1=Bartošek |first1=Jan |last2=Bačkovská |first2=Milena |date=2021 |title=Zbraně a střelivo |trans-title=Guns and ammunition |language=Czech |location=Prague |publisher=C. H. Beck |isbn=978-80-7400-843-6}}, page 231-237.{{cite web
| last = Brunn
| first = Miloslav
| title = Programy střelecké přípravy [System of firearms training]
| work = gunlex.cz
| date = 24 January 2022
| url = https://gunlex.cz/zbrane-a-legislativa/legislativa/4059-programy-strelecke-pripravy
| accessdate = 8 May 2024
| language = Czech}}
Legal basis
{{See also|Gun law in the Czech Republic|History of Czech civilian firearms possession}}
{{Infobox legislation
|short_title = Designated Reserves Act
|legislature = Parliament of the Czech Republic
|image =
|imagesize =
|imagealt =
|caption =
|long_title = Act on the handling of weapons in certain cases affecting the internal order or security of the Czech Republic
|citation = [https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-14 No. 14/2021 Coll.]
|territorial_extent =
|passed_by = Chamber of Deputies
|passed_by2 = Senate
|date_enacted =
|date_passed = 26 October 2020
|enacted_by2 =
|date_enacted2 =
|date_passed2 = 17 December 2020
|date_assented =
|royal_assent =
|date_signed = 21 December 2020
|signed_by = President Miloš Zeman
|date_promulgated = 15 January 2021
|date_commenced = 30 January 2021
|date_of_expiry =
|date_repealed =
|administered_by =
|bill =
|bill_citation = [https://www.psp.cz/sqw/historie.sqw?o=8&T=669 Chamber Bill No. 669 (8th Legislature)]
|bill_date =
|introduced_by = Deputy {{Interlanguage link|Jiří Mašek (politician)|cs|Jiří Mašek}} and [https://www.psp.cz/sqw/historie.sqw?o=8&t=669&sp=1 23 other deputies]
|date_introduced = 6 December 2019
|date_distributed = 6 December 2019
|rapporteur = Jana Černochová
|committee_responsible = Security Committee
|1st_reading = 3 June 2020
|2nd_reading = 7 October 2020
|3rd_reading = 23 October 2020
|3rd_reading_for = 89
|3rd_reading_against = 0
|3rd_reading_abstention = 3
|conf_committee_passed =
|bill2 =
|bill_citation2 =
|bill_date2 = 24 November 2020
|committee_responsible2 = Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee
|rapporteur2 = Václav Láska
|second_chamber_action = passed
|passed2 = 17 December 2020
|passed2_for = 64
|passed2_against = 0
|passed2_abstention = 6
|conf_committee_passed2 =
|date_conf_committee =
|white_paper =
|committee_report =
|amendments =
|repeals =
|related_legislation = [https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 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
|summary =
|keywords =
|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.{{cite web
| last = Gawron
| first = Tomáš
| title = Vláda neplní programové prohlášení ohledně obrany a civilního držení zbraní [Government fails to implement programme statement on defence and civilian possession of weapons]
| work = zbrojnice.com
| date = 14 August 2023
| url = https://zbrojnice.com/2023/08/14/vlada-neplni-programove-prohlaseni-ohledne-obrany-a-civilniho-drzeni-zbrani/
| accessdate = 8 May 2024
| language = Czech}}
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".[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-14 Act No. 14/2021 Coll.], Art. 4(1)
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.[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-14 Act No. 14/2021 Coll.], Art. 10 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.
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.
For Level 2 and higher, the ammunition cost is reimbursed by the Government[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 19(1). and selected parts of the training may be conducted by mutual combat with use of simunition.[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 10(3).
| class=wikitable
!Level !Main focus !Extent !Content |
| rowspan=4 | 1
| rowspan=4 | General defensive gun use | 8 hours theoretical[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 5. | Law, deescalation, tactics, practicalities of concealed carry, analysis of real DGU situations, first aid |
| 8 hours practical[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 6.
| 250 rds of ammunition |
| Shooting test[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 14.
| A stage similar to IPSC |
| Taking oath[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 16(1).
| 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." |
| colspan=4 style="text-align: center;"| Designated reserve |
| rowspan=3 | 2
| rowspan=3 | Soft targets protection and defense against active killer[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 7. | 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. |
| 8 hours practical
| Rifle, 150 rounds, up to 100 meters. |
| rowspan=3 | 3
| rowspan=3 | State of Emergency[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 8. | 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 | colspan=2 | 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.[https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2021-255 Regulation No. 255/2021 Coll.], Art. 19(2). |