Issued weapons

[Jcobb]

This morning I submitted a proposal to my department to allow officers the option of carrying personally owned weapons provided the weapon passed certain criteria (I wont go into details on the criteria). I feel certain that one of the main arguments against such will be the desire for all sidearms to be the same, so that using another officers weapon if needed will not be an issue. My question is how many departments out there 1) Issue departmental weapons but allow officers to use personally owned weapons, 2) have different makes of weapons available for issue, 3) Require their officers to provide their own weapons.

Any information pertaining to this matter is greatly appreciated.

[hacker15]

Originally Posted by Jcobb

This morning I submitted a proposal to my department to allow officers the option of carrying personally owned weapons provided the weapon passed certain criteria (I wont go into details on the criteria). I feel certain that one of the main arguments against such will be the desire for all sidearms to be the same, so that using another officers weapon if needed will not be an issue. My question is how many departments out there 1) Issue departmental weapons but allow officers to use personally owned weapons, 2) have different makes of weapons available for issue, 3) Require their officers to provide their own weapons.

Any information pertaining to this matter is greatly appreciated.

The court system requires us to use our own weapons. We must qualify with them before we can carry on the job. I use either an XD .40 service or a Ruger P97DC .45, depending on which one I grab from the gun safe on any given day ()

[BlackRifleMP]

We have to buy our own weapon. The bad part is they want us to buy it in there choice of round and there choice of weapon. My complaint is if you have to buy your own weapon then it should be what you choose and what round you want it in. I know someone would show up with a HI POINT or Jennings. I just feal if I have to use my money I should get what I want. Oh and by the way we have a choice of glocks, S&Ws, and SIG's ( not the GSR's) they have to be in 40 s&w and we have to buy our own ammo ( no ammo allowance either all out of pocket). I work for a small red neck county.

[CPES]

Right now I'm sitting at #3, but we could be moving on to issued weapons some time this year if the budget goes through (Glocks, which I'm not too thrilled about to be honest).

Currently we have to provide our own duty weapon, chambered in either .40 or 9mm. The reasoning behind this is that the department pays for our ammo, and they don't want to pay the higher price for .45, .357 SIG, etc. If I had it my way I'd be carrying either an XD45 5" or a Kimber TLE/RL II, but since .45 is a no no, I was out of luck and went with the XD40. At least we get to carry our choice of weapon, although most of us are pretty mainstream...we have a few berettas, a few XDs, and lot of Glocks. Maybe a radom one here and there, but those brands are the majority of it. One of our guys just bought a beretta PX4 9mm, which I was hoping he would bring to the range to qualify with today so I could shoot it a little...but he's on vacation. Thats a neat gun, fits nicely in my hand, almost as well as my XD.

[Jcobb]

The reason I ask is because we are issued the HK USP .40. Admin and CID have the option of carrying the HK USP Compact. Our weapon quals are pretty strict---all hits, no misses on a TQ21 target. Some of the guys and gals have trouble when it comes time to qual. Most of the ones that do have trouble have all stated they wanted to carry something different. I would rather carry my xd .45 tac if allowed so I made the proposal to change the SOP. I know that I am going to be hit with the argument that the weapon platform needs to be the same, so I am just trying to get a feel for what other departments allow.


Thanks for the replies so far.

[CPES]

Here is what I plan on using if they try to stick a Glock in my holster:

So, let me get this straight: you'd rather trade the experiance, accuracy, comfort, and the skill that an officer develops from shooting his preferred weapon for....uniformity? Looks? That, sir, makes absolutely NO sense to me. If people obviously shoot better using the gun of thier choice, then why not let them carry it? Lives are more important than looks, and we stake our lives on our duty weapons every day.

Tweak to fit your situation of course, but that should at least make them think a little. Or not, depending on how hard-nosed your department is about it.

[Mike TRT]

We can carry what we want and have to purchase them ourselves. the pistol has to be from a quality firearm manufactuer and must be 9mm, 40 or 45......from single stack 1911 styles to polymer whatevers, just no jennings or amt hardballers etc..

the new G.O. requires any new officers or officers going to a different weapon, they must possess a light rail and have a light attached....

[ElJimmyStrappo]

The dept. I will be working for upon graduating from the Reserve Academy lets us carry our own firearms. If I am a sworn officer, they issue Sigs. If I wanted to I could carry my own AR too.

One thing that is a plus with a dept. carrying all the same gun is if you get in a fire fight, and you run dry on ammo, you can get a mag from a buddy and keep going. If everyone has a different gun/caliber you are gonna be SOL if you run dry.

[Jcobb]

Originally Posted by ElJimmyStrappo

The dept. I will be working for upon graduating from the Reserve Academy lets us carry our own firearms. If I am a sworn officer, they issue Sigs. If I wanted to I could carry my own AR too.

One thing that is a plus with a dept. carrying all the same gun is if you get in a fire fight, and you run dry on ammo, you can get a mag from a buddy and keep going. If everyone has a different gun/caliber you are gonna be SOL if you run dry.

That would be another argument against my proposal. I understand that theory but how many times does that actually happen? With 40 rounds at my disposal on my belt, IF I run dry, I got bigger problems than trying to find more ammo for my handgun. I do not personally know of any one who has ever run dry in a fire fight. Im not saying it cant happen, b/c I know it can, its just a really unusual set of circumstances for that event to occur.

[Agent915]

I have 18+ years on the job and have NEVER agreed with an officer being told what weapon/caliber they could carry. The department I started in years ago (not there now thank GOD!!) now have issued Glock G23's, back in the day I carried a Colt Combat Elite 45ACP cocked and locked. I'm now the Chief over a narcotics unit that covers three counties,(including where I started) and I tell my guys to carry whatever (within reason) the feel the most confident with. I believe if you carry a weapon that your hand and eye knows you will be FAR MORE effect if that day comes and you are required to set your sights on another humanbeing! As far as this BS about being able to run to your buddy if you run dry.....Well, lets just put like this. TUFF ****, you should've kept your head and not sprayed all that ammo out there, cause ain't noway you're getting mine. I'm too close to retirement to be giving my ammo up when I need it most. One other thing..You're absolutly right. If you burn (waste) 40+ rounds in a gun fight you're in so deep mine wouldn't help anyway.

God Bless

Agent915