The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office will be offering its first Firearms Familiarization Course of the year on April 4 at the F.O.P. Lodge located on Alabama Highway 140.

Sign up for the course will be Friday 9 a.m. in the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, but only 15 slots are available.  Signing up is mandatory. Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis.

Here are a few requirements: you must possess a valid pistol permit; have a firearm for this course; provide your own ammunition for this course and furnish your own eye and ear protection.

The course fee is $40 per person and must be paid either by check or money order. No cash will be accepted. Please make all checks payable to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.

Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum said the course is important for gun owners.

“People are arming themselves and getting a pistol permit,” Granthum said. “People need to know how to handle a gun. We will show them how to load a gun, unload it and how to clean it. Safety is very important.”

Granthum said the course will be held every other month.