A strange question about LEO's?

E.Williams

Just something else I was wondering.I say strange because I dont think I could be a cop but still curious.Are cops allowed to carry there own firearm or do thay have to carry what is issued?Like if they have fired a 1911 .45 and are very good and accurate with it or have shot a .357magnum more than any other gun do they have the option of carrying what they are good with?I think its wrong if they have to carry a gun they arent comfortable with putting their life on.Like if I was a cop I wouldnt want to carry a 9mm I would more than likely want a .45.Does anybody know about this?Paticularly you LEO's.

Eric S. Williams

austin247

It's a matter of department policy. Some departments require officers to carry department issue weapons and ammo. Other departments allow the officer to carry his/her own weapon. Mine is one of the latter.

marinebadger

It is funny you should ask...I have been touring the country
over the past year and a half as an actor. Along the way I
have asked many officers in many states kind of the same question.
I notice what they have and ask if it is issue or choice.
I found a lot of them don't really care...these are clearly not
gun nuts, however I have had some interesting conversations
through this question. You gotta be careful how you ask, though,
it makes some of them nervous.
What I learned though was as Austin says...sometimes it has to be
issue, but a lot of times if you go through the police qualifications
with it, then your superior will sign off on it and allow you to
carry it.

"a Freudian slip is when you say one thing and mean amother"

leeblackman

Totally depends on the department you work for. Some require a specific weapon and may or may not issue it, while others may have a list to choose from, or even others may just have certain criteria for the weapon. Some may allow for a concealed backup to be carried, while others may not. Some may allow for your weapon to be carried off duty, while other's don't. It just totally depends on the department, but thats also the good thing about being a certified peace officer is that you can apply for a job at whatever department you want, so if you don't like one, go somewhere else.

If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !

leeblackman

You know something funny to back up marinebadger is that I know a few officers who wouldn't even carry a gun if it wasn't required by the department. They just don't see it as a very important part of there job. They are not patrolman, and don't really have the constant threat of the unknown traffic stop. I know a guy who works for another department who doesn't even carry a gun. He says sometimes he forgets it at home, but when he brings it up he usually just locks it in his desk.

It is kinda funny though, for some wierd coinsidental reason all of the non-gun happy police officer's I know carry Rugers.

If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !

Laredo Lefty

What type of gun that is to be carried is probably one of the last things on a police applicant's list when he applies. Things like wages, work conditions, benefits, proximity to home etc are things more important.
I dont know of any Depts that dont allow ofcrs to carry off duty, though I could be wrong. My dept allows any gun 9mm or larger. I carried a Smith 44 Mag for a while, but got tired of the weight.
Our on duty guns are Glocks, Sigs, or Beretta's in 9mm .40 or .45, but as mentioned above, it is entirely dept policy.
I teach firearms at a local academy and we see mostly Glocks, Sigs, Beretta, H&K, Smith & Wesson, and once in a while a Ruger.

marinebadger

yeah, One officer in San Antonio had a bit of a sense of humor.
When asked if he would choose any other gun instead of what he had
...which if I remember correctly it was a Glock...he replied,
"How bout a Desert Eagle .50" which I of course agreed would be
an excellent choice. I also mostly have seen Glocks...in fact, just
tonight at the Big Boy in Burbank the two officers were sporting Glocks. I am of the "Glocks are ugly" camp, but lots o' folks like 'em. The most unique sidearm was in Pensacola, FL. The only time
I saw the H&K P7 on the patrolman's hip.

and on a personal note...being the pervert that I am I must take
pause and celebrate my 69th post! heheh

"a Freudian slip is when you say one thing and mean amother"

njretcop

I believe it's mostly based on department policy and varies widely.

Our department didn't care what you carried off duty, as long as you were armed. You are subject to a three day suspension if caught not carrying. Now insurance regulations demand that you qualify with whatever you carry, including us old retired guys, lol.

Interesting in the post above about a LEO not carrying. It is a fact that a LEO is "on duty" here in NJ all the time, while not on vacation, and is expected to come to the aid of another LEO, or citizen in grave danger at any time. How can this be done without his or her firearm?

Many off duty and retired police officers here will display a blue light on their own vehicle to back up a brother officer and let them, and the public know, an armed LEO is also on the scene.

Charlie

"It's the stuff dreams are made of Angel"NRA Certified Firearms InstructorMember: GOA, RKBA, NJSPBA, NJ area rep for the 2ndAMPD. njretcop@copmail.com