PAL & RPAL Course - Safety First!
PAL & RPAL Course - Safety First!
Instructor - Joe Chu
Joe has a passion for working with the community, teaching and firearms training. He is a certified instructor for the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.
Joe has taught international policing students at the Justice Institute of British Columbia in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Co-Instructor - Tai
Tai has supervised firearms training and
Joe has a passion for working with the community, teaching and firearms training. He is a certified instructor for the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.
Joe has taught international policing students at the Justice Institute of British Columbia in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Co-Instructor - Tai
Tai has supervised firearms training and testing for law enforcement officers in Eastern Europe, West and Central Africa and South America.
Their practical knowledge and experience of firearms will enrich your learning experience.
Joe being congratulated on his retirement by Vancouver Police Chief Constable Adam Palmer and Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow.
Joe joined the Vancouver Police as a volunteer Reserve Constable in 1987. In 1990 he became a full time police officer until 2019 when he took retirement after being recruited to be the Associate Director of Se
Joe being congratulated on his retirement by Vancouver Police Chief Constable Adam Palmer and Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow.
Joe joined the Vancouver Police as a volunteer Reserve Constable in 1987. In 1990 he became a full time police officer until 2019 when he took retirement after being recruited to be the Associate Director of Security for BCIT. After 16 months at BCIT, Joe took his "second" retirement to focus on his teaching and consulting business.
Joe has served in Operations, Administration and Investigations. Special assignments include Emergency Response Team Crisis Negotiator, VPD Military Liaison Unit, VIP Site Security and Tactical Support Team Leader for the Public Safety Unit.
Training Aids
Non Restricted Firearms
Restricted Firearms
All of the training aids used in the course are dummy ammunition and deactivated firearms as per RCMP regulations. They will not fire.
At the beginning of class each day, a check is made to ensure no students have brought live ammunition to the class.
Restricted Firearms
Non Restricted Firearms
Restricted Firearms
There is a wide selection of restricted firearms for everyone from history buffs to those interested in pursuing a law enforcement career. Joe's retired duty pistol is part of the training aids collection.
Non Restricted Firearms
Non Restricted Firearms
Non Restricted Firearms
There is a wide selection of non-restricted firearms from modern day rifles and shotguns for those looking to hunt or target shoot to several vintage firearms from the WWII and Cold War era for history buffs.
What to Bring
The course is 80% theory and 20% practical. Bring pen and paper to take notes and wear something comfortable for the class as you will be handling a variety of deactivated firearms. Do bring reading glasses if you require them as you will need to be able to read small print.
The student course manual can be downloaded at:
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2015/grc-rcmp/PS99-2-2-1-2014-eng.pdf
You do not need to print nor bring the student manual with you. If you want to read the materials prior to the course, read and memorize the Vital Four ACTS of Firearms Safety and PROVE it Safe. Page 21 and Page 22.
Please pack a lunch as this will provide you an opportunity to spend more time handling the deactivated firearms during the lunch break.
Google Reviews
I have nothing but good to say about this course. From the very get go, both Tai and Joe were very accommodating and communicative; they provided me all the necessary material and information well in advance and were extremely responsive in responding to any concerns I had leading up to and during the course. They are incredible teachers. Both Tai and Joe are serious when they need to be, hilarious when they want to be, and gave me the clear impression that genuinely passionate not just about firearms but insuring the safe and responsible usage of those firearms. I enjoyed the course immensely and felt very comfortable speaking with them both on a one to level. All of the firearms provided (disarmed) during the course for us to handle belong to Joe and Tai publicly and they have intimate knowledge of them. Tai has a wide breadth of experience and many of the videos and material he referenced he has had direct personal experience with; in fact many of the videos included both Joe and Tai handling firearms themselves, so it was reassuring to the utmost to see that my teachers practiced what they preached. They have extensive experience with police forces around the world, to boot, and are highly trained, professional and genuinely pleasant people to be around. They were also very friendly about offering to discounts to shooting ranges, gunsmiths and safety/storage equipment, as well as very helpful in providing all of the necessary documentation to get my PAL license in immediately following the course (they even helped me fill it out and went through it with all of us all together. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this course, both for the course and content, but most importantly for the experience with these two exemplar instructors. Little addendum, just to give you an idea of how well prepared I was following this course: I went to a shooting range about a month after the course, with a friend who has his PAL and has been shooting for years, and felt more comfortable handling the various firearms, and knew more about how to safely load and display them unloaded for the range safety officer, than my friend with many more years of experience. The officer actually told him off and said he should listen to me because I clearly knew more about what I was doing haahah (first time firing most of those weapons). (Fruscai, March 2021)
This course was an excellent experience. Joe was super patient and thoroughly helpful with the practical portion of the course. I would highly recommend taking this PAL and RPAL training through these instructors as both are highly qualified and skilled with their LE and military background. Also a special thanks to Terry, who provided valuable tips and suggestions throughout both days. Thanks, you guys. It was great! (Roger Mah, January 2021)
I recently attended the PAL/RPAL course given by Joe and his co-instructor Tai. From the first moment I contacted Joe inquiring about the firearms training course, he responded right away and was very helpful. Joe is a man with several decades of policing/law enforcement experience; you really get the sense he's seen it all. Despite this, he is very humble and is a fantastic teacher. He was able to "gel" important key points with great storytelling. I left that course feeling energised. Thank you Joe! (Rob, January 2021)
Both are excellent instructors. Especially Joe can explain to me the firearm terms in Mandarin which helps me to understand much more and much easier. You two are very professional and know how to teach different students. Thank you very much for your patience. And thank you for tolerating my slow response. I have learned a lot these 2 days and want to learn more from you in the future. maybe one day can follow you to the fire range to practice. Highly recommended!!! (Vera Yin, December 2020)
Joe was immediately responsive to questions before the PAL course I took, and did a fantastic job relaying the safety, and seriousness firearms. The course was really well laid out, and the demonstrations and practical practice was really useful. Highly recommend him for your PAL and RPAL course! (Zachary Doyle, December 2020)
I just finish the Non-Restricted and Restricted coarse with Joe. I found him to be very easy to understand as he has good communication skills. Joe is very knowledgeable and uses his own experiences to get the points across. I give Joe 5 stars and two big thumbs up. (Frank Aszody, October 2020)
I recently attended a non restricted and restricted firearms course put on by Tai and Joe. Their ability to demonstrate safety and translate that to each and every class participant is very clear. Tai would make a point to work with each person individually until the lesson had taken root. Tai and Joe kept the class light and not only delivered the information needed to pass the test delivered by them at the end of each training day, but they also shared personal stories that made the safety really sink in. They also went above and beyond giving their students local knowledge about ranges, shops, and by-laws of surrounding municipalities. If you want to start your journey into fire arms off in the right direction and have zero knowledge there is no better place to start. I would recommend using them 100% (Matthew Brown, October 2020)
Clear, concise and practical- Joe uses examples from his very own experience with firearms which makes the course very interesting. Anyone could pick up the book and read what to do and what not to do, but the tricks and tips Joe shared were much more valuable. Highly recommend anyone to take this course if you want your license. (Jackbow Lee, September 2020)
If you are interested in attaining a PAL - look no further than MetroVan Firearms Training. Joe is a fantastic instructor and the 2-day course is filled to the brim with both the necessary content and personal stories that further drive home the course points ensuring your attention and success. Having little to no prior knowledge or Firearms experience - Joe gave me the confidence and know how to feel safe while handling guns and a new found awareness and appreciation of gun safety. (David Yau, September 2020)
Both Joe and Tai's course for PAL and RPAL covers all the important aspects required to have the student walk away with a greater appreciation of firearm use and safety. With a fun and welcoming atmosphere, both Joe and Tai make this often tedious subject interesting and available to all who listen. If you are wanting to apply for your licence, I would definitely recommend taking the course with these 2 great guys. (Jamie Henry, August 2020)
Despite an approximate 3 month delay due to COVID-19, Joe kept me updated throughout on when courses would resume and I was able to complete the CFSC and CRFSC courses recently. Joe and Tai presented information in an easily understandable manner and were able to provide several anecdotes and real world experiences to reinforce program material. They also presented material free of personal politics. After providing the necessary information, they allowed more than adequate time to become acquainted with a wide variety of firearms, and encouraged questions. This goes a long way to overcoming apprehensions, even if you have never handled a firearm prior. I would not hesitate to recommend this course offered by Joe and Tai. (Ryan W., August 2020)
I would highly recommend Joe and Tai's PAL to anyone that I may know. Both of them are experienced, thorough, dedicated and professional instructors and the class was well organized. I have very little experience with firearms prior to attending the class, but their sense of humour, solid knowledge and patience have definitely made my learning journey much easier. They also give very good feedback on your performance. So happy that I took their PAL course! (Lea Liang, August 2020)
Joe is a experienced and passionate instructor. He really put safety at the first place. After taking the course with him, it truly built up the confidence to handle firearms properly. He is easy going and loves to answer questions. He got lot of experiences with firearms as well. If I have any question in the future about firearms, I will not be hesitate to contact him. I would highly recommend to take his courses! REALLY! (Shiqi Zou, August 2020)
Having previous military experience, I found this course to be exceptionally helpful and very informative for proper firearms regulations and procedures. Joe was an excellent instructor who clearly knows his material and has a passion to share that information and ensure each student has the understanding needed to safely operate firearms. If you are interested in getting your firearms license I highly suggest you take the course with Joe or his counterpart Tai.
Excellent reviews all around. (Jordan Norsworthy, August 2020)
I finished this course with Joe today. He is an exilant teacher, knowledgeable and very professional. I would highly recommend. Thank you! (Kate Fisher, August 2020)
Fantastic gun course which emphasizes on safety as well as getting you used to handling guns with confidence. I am definitely recommending to my friends who want to get their pal and rpal. (Big Bort, August 2020)
Taking this course with Joe was a blast. Joe's knowledge and experience with firearms made the class very informative and fun! I took the CFSC and CRFSC with Joe and he taught me so much. He was a great instructor and made the class very interesting. 10/10 would recommend taking CFSC and/or CRFSC with Joe, no other way to go. Thanks Joe for everything!!!! (Jamal Bala, August 2020)
I took the unrestricted and restricted course on a Sat & Sun this July. Joe's real life stories of being on the police force and his years of handling fire arms safely for work and for his hobby helped kept the class material interesting and easy to learn and remember. Having hands on safety instruction by handling some of Joe's personal firearms collection with Joe by my side to instruct me was essential to my learning. I now feel competent to safely handle firearms. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who needs to learn how to safely handle firearms and/or obtain their firearms licence. It was a weekend well spent. (Reg Chow, July 2020)
Extremely informative and friendly training... Joe & Raphael were entertaining, yet very informative and helpful. Definitely cared that each student understood the concepts and details thoroughly.. 10/10 would recommend to a friend! (Joe Kerekes, July 2020)
I don't think I would have ever got a training like that from somewhere else. There was passion and enthusiasm in the teaching of Joe and Tai. I got a lot from it. I would recommend this to everyone. Thank you for reading my review! (Puneet Dadra, July 2020)
A long day of learning, but Joe and Raphael made it enjoyable with tons of stories and relevant examples. Would recommend. (Steve Ballard, July 2020)
This is a fantastic course, the instructors are really knowledgeable and patient so I think it is great, I definitely got a lot out of it. I would recommend it to everyone, I am lucky to have found these guys.
Thank you Joe and Tai! (Brendan Yates, July 2020)
Super nice gentlemen with profound knowledge, experience and jokes. ( Stanley Feng, July 2020)
The 2-day CFSC/CRFSC course I took was comprehensive, well organized, and I went into the tests feeling prepared. Joe & Tai are excellent instructors who are friendly, patient, and bring a wealth of experience to the table. Their stories were entertaining, informative, and add great context to the course material. This was a great way to spend a weekend, I learned a lot and had fun in the process. Highly recommended! ( Spencer Miller, July 2020)
Tai and Joe are very knowledgeable, patient and funny, which is always good to have in one teacher let alone two. Their attitudes are amazing, and their personas are very relaxed and easy going. They make you as the student feel as if you were bound to succeed from the beginning, and then follow through with all the information you need in order to do so, in a visual, timely and practical way all while keeping it nice and bite sized as not be overwhelming. The class races by and it doesn't hit you as to how much information you actually went through until later, because you can easily and simply relay basically most of the information to other people. This is rare with teachers. They also respond in a timely matter after the course is over if you have any further questions or need anything firearms related. I couldn't have been happier in my choice ( Iliya Ghotbi, July 2020)
Both Joe and Tai are professional, charismatic, enthusiastic and hilarious. It didn't feel like I was in a dull class. They are so enthusiastic about firearms training and safety that it rubs off on the students. Their passion for the subject matter is what sets them apart from other safety training services. If you are thinking about taking either the restricted or non restricted firearms safety course then going with Tai and Joe is a no brainer! Thank you for the great experience! ( Jorge Gonzalez , June 2020)
Joe is extremely knowledgeable and kind! He uses his personal experience to teach the material in an engaging way for all learners. I expected the courses to be dry, but after taking them I was surprised at how practical and informative they were. I would definitely recommend! (Toga D'Hoore, June 2020)
Thank you Joe for your dedication to educate me on the awareness of firearm safety through the PAL program. I enjoyed your enthusiasm and the many personal stories in driving the message on firearm safety. You have demonstrated high quality leadership throughout the class and you always take extra time to explain everything whenever I had a question about the material. Your knowledge on the subject matter is excellent. I wish you a continual success in your future endeavour. (Anthony Choy, June 2020)
I enjoyed the safety courses taught by Joe. Joe makes the course fun by including personal stories. He answers questions in a simple and easily understood manner. The material was conveyed well despite there being a lot of information. I was able to absorb the course material in great detail at the end of it for the exams. Would highly recommend the firearms safety course to beginners and basically anyone interested. (Adalia C., June 2020)
Tai and Joe were able to offer a friendly/very focused and logical approach to learning the necessities of handling non restricted and restricted firearms. When thinking and planning to do this course just know these guys are top notch all the way.
Thanks a bunch to you both for sharing your arsenal of combined experiences along with a balance of good humour and solid instruction.
Grade A. (James G., June 2020)
I took both CFSC course and CRFSC course with Joe and his partner Tai recently, really awesome courses! Both having worked for the force for so many years and being so passionate about firearms teaching and training, Joe and Tai have tremendous experiences with all sorts of firearms and give a lot of relevant and real-world examples during the courses, making the otherwise boring courses very engaging, easy to follow and enriching. Some of the safety rules like ACTS & PROVES, they repeated and let me practise so many times, I feel the rules have become my conditioned response when I touch firearms. I wish everyone who has PAL had taken their courses and misuse of firearms would be minimized. Joe and Tai are true professionals. I definitely give them 5 out of 5 and strongly recommend their courses. (Brenda Liu, Mar 2020)
Really enjoyed taking the courses with Tai & Joe. Their collective wealth of knowledge and experience really made the difference in regards learning to the subject matter at hand. If you are interested in getting your PAL then don't hesitate to book with MetroVan Firearms Training & S2 Firearms Training, true experts! (Dylan Jackson, Feb 2020)
I enjoyed the training tremendously! The trainer did an excellent job facilitating this program. His knowledge added much I truly appreciate it! (Anthony Z, Feb 2020)
Thank you Joe and Tai for the awesome training. They make everything very easy to understand and they will keep helping you until you really understand. They point out what the really important things are in the book and what they say all really make sense. They not only teach the safe handling of the firearms but also address the mentality and the social responsibilities one shall have as a possible future firearm owner which convinced me that this course could be very meaningful not only for gun-using people in the tough world but also for any people of any age group in our society. Real experienced people, real examples, handled everything with respect. Most importantly, They are fun people. Definitely recommend it. (Kiyeon Kang, Feb 2020)
I highly recommend taking this 2-day training course that is very informative and practical. I learned a lot with firearms safe handling from these two very experienced instructors. I found the practical “real life” examples applied in the course very helpful as they complement and reinforce the ACTS & PROVE it Safe fundamental principles. Overall these instructors score A+++++ feedback in my book! I’ll be recommending the course to others who want to get their PAL. (R. Sturrock, Jan 2020)
I am so glad for having chosen MetroVan Firearms among several choices. Their professionalism and knowledge are exceptional. Joe is very experienced having worked for the force for so many years, so he has both knowledge and experience with all kinds of guns. (Tais Imanari, Jan 2020)
Got my RPAL with Tai and Joe this past weekend. They managed to take a long, dry course, and make it fun and entertaining. I would highly recommend this course! (Mike Kleinberg-Bassel, Jan 2020)
Really awesome course, Tai and Joe are great instructors that give relevant, real-world examples to the course material. The both of them rack up a combined 50+ years of firearms experience. They made it easy to understand all concepts and answered every question thrown at them. Great prices, and great locations. This course makes firearms training fun! Strongly recommended! (Daniel Dabiri, Jan 2020)
Amazing class, awesome instructors. A lot to learn. Class is supported with real life examples. If you want to take PAL, go with MetroVan. (Abhiraj Singh, Dec 2019)
When it comes to firearms safety these guys are as good as it gets. Extremely knowledgeable and just great people overall. The experience they provide is incredible. I just finished the non-restricted and restricted safety course with them last weekend (December 14 & 15th, 2019). It was a very enjoyable experience. They made sure to highlight the important details in the course. I was in Joe's group. He took his time answering all my questions and ensuring that I am comfortable with all different aspects of handling a firearm safely. If you are interested in doing your CFSC and CRFSC definitely do it with MetroVan Firearm Training. (Orel Ben Neriah, Dec 2019)
Took both the CFSC and CRFSC with Joe and Tai over the weekend and had a great experience! The website was very informative and made the sign-up process a breeze. Joe and Tai were very professional and knowledgeable; they made course very enjoyable. TRUE EXPERTS in firearm! I highly recommend them to anyone interested in learning more about firearms. (Nguyen Aniki, Dec 2019)
5 out of 5 stars. What a great session. My wife and I have always been interested in the sport and have zero experience with them. We decided to take the PAL and RPAL courses and found Joe and his partner Tai to put on a great course. They emphasized the right info, at the right pace, and answered all our questions throughout the sessions. You know safety is incredibly important to them and this lesson was constantly drilled into us - in a fun, educational and safe environment. I would highly recommend anyone who is wanting to take the PAL course to consider signing up with Joe! (Brian Yam, Nov 2019)
Class was informative and instructors have extensive knowledge to what they are teaching. Highly recommended! (Marc Maceren, Oct 2019)
Excellent class. Joe was really knowledgeable, and I enjoyed the training. I wasn't sure what to expect since I've never picked up a firearm before, but the class style was relaxed, and the instruction was presented in a way that was quick to absorb. Great hands-on training with different types of firearms made it easy to get some confidence without feeling like a total newbie. Really helpful to get real world stories from experienced professionals. Highly recommended. (Sorrel, Oct 2019)
Very Informative class and the instructor was very knowledgeable. Strongly recommended to those who interested in law enforcement and had a passion for firearms. (Seabook Ng, Oct 2019)
Joe and Tai are amazing instructors. This class is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in getting their PAL. (Peter Haile, Oct 2019)
I recently completed the non-restricted and restricted courses with MetroVan Firearms Training. I had wanted to get my PAL for some time but put off the process because I had not been in a classroom for many years and I was not sure I could handle the technical content in a classroom environment. I have to say that the instructors were awesome, and I truly appreciate the time they took to help me learn. The instructors shared from decades of real-life experiences which were not only relatable, but also helped ease my nerves about being in a classroom. Classroom time went by fast and I really enjoyed the hands-on practical time. I would not hesitate to recommend MetroVan to anybody, especially if you are not usually comfortable in a classroom environment. If school was this enjoyable, I could have been a doctor. (Paul Hsu, Sept 2019)
I enjoyed this course so very much, it was a small class with 2 instructors, the student / instructor ratio was certainly beneficial to the learners. They did not just go through the textbook material in a hurry but spent extra time to answer all questions from the students until they are fully understood. The instructor Joe was very friendly and knowledge with firearms, that possibly due to his former profession as a law enforcement officer, but I was so impressed he managed to use a different analogy to explain certain complex firearm operation system in a simplified manner. If they offer any advance classes in future, I will have no hesitation to enroll again. (Albert Chey, Aug 2019)
RPAL Course Pre-Covid 19 - Double Action Revolver
Community Engagement
Empowering our youth to make informed decisions about drugs
Dec. 7, 2019. Attended Richmond RCMP Detachment to celebrate another year of D.A.R.E. working with youth in various BC communities. Was a double celebration as this date was also my Justice Institute of B.C. police academy graduation date back in 1990.
For more information on D.A.R.E. please visit their website at
