Officers can go to any one of the four, and must qualify at least eight times per year. In addition to pistol shooting, officers also must qualify with the police shotgun and the M16 rifle. Each month, the course of fire changes. This presents new challenges as officers must think, and not just shoot. Officers are trained in real-life conditions.
Many shoots are at night in difficult lighting conditions and in all types of weather.
The Police Department also sponsors two shoot teams each year to participate in the Law Enforcement Statewide Police Shoot. Officers must try out and the top eight are selected. These officers participate in both a bull's-eye and a combat course of fire. The Eau Claire teams have won many state titles and are consistently ranked as one of the top teams in the state. The police department has a team of volunteer officers who continually train to use technical equipment needed in case surveillance or under cover operations.