My Dept. issues 870s to patrol guys that want to carry one… many do not these days.
A lot of our 870s have been converted to Less Lethal by adding orange furniture.
Policy specifically restricts the carrying or use of LL rounds in a standard shotgun and OO buck in LL guns to avoid confusion
I’m one of the T&E guys for equipment and began carrying a personal 14” Benelli M4 on duty 5-6 years ago
I also own the 1301 and A300 Patrol. For work the 14” barrel has advantages.
I work a plainclothes unit that tracks and apprehends suspects for Homicide primarily though we get requests for other violent cases
3 years ago I was involved in my second fatal OIS and employed the Benelli during that incident.
The issued load for my Dept. is the Federal FC LE133 OO buck.
Obviously shotguns have their strengths and limitations but at typical LE engagement distances they are decisive.
We also authorize patrol rifles and I carry a personal 11.5
Frequency of training is key in my opinion with any weapon system but shotgun especially so.
The modern semi auto guns have a couple of significant advantages over the pump guns in my opinion now that we have reliable options. When I began my LE career 30 years ago that was not the case. I had the opportunity to train with Louis Awerbuck around 1995 and his shotgun course was challenging. It drilled home the capability and limitations offered by the 870. I’m sure if he was alive today he would be happy to see the modernization of the systems.
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