Posted: 8/8/2004 9:55:57 AM EDT
|
A buddy asked me about this the other day and I would like to know if, as an LEO, does your command determine which rifles are O.K. to use or are there some commands where you can use what ever you choose within reason. The question came up from a picture that showed several LEO's with different guns, several more than three types. Also, can you use your own rifle or does the command generally purchase the weapons? thanks, Art ETA: I know it is different all over the place, and that is why I asked the question to get a general over all pole on it. |
Thanks, that is what I figure, but wanted to get a cross section of the country. have a good evening, Art in TX |
|
Our patrol officers and supervisors are is not allowed to carry rifles/carbines. Only our Captain is authorized to carry and use one. The Chief won't even send us to training so we can carry our own rifles/carbines. If we attend training and we pay for it ourselves, he still won't allow us to carry. Many other departments in the area authorize patrol rifles/carbines after an intense, three day training class. Those departments supply a list for approved weapons. Usually Colt or Bushmaster. If you want to use optics you have to first qualify with irons, then optics. After being authorized to use optics you can switch around from one to another. My Chief is stuck in the 60's and refuses to go forward. Colt_SBR |
|
My primary agency only issues rifles to supervisors, and those are Mini 14s .They used to get a bolt action as well, but those were removed from their vehicles.Team members are issued ARs and bolt action rifles. Part time agency issues Bushys to Sgts and allows patrol officers to carry personally owned ARs or clones. |
|
We can carry any handguns we want as long as it's a Glock 9mm or .45. Officers that had other weapons before are "grandfathered". So we have a few with revolvers. We also have people with Sig, Berretta, Ruger, S+W, H+K, who bought weapons under the prior policy. TRT is in the process of getting a 1911 sytle handgun, with all the slide serrations and accesory rails authorized. They give us 12 ga Rem-870's. They were bought a few at a time, no 2 seem to be exactly alike. They autorized AR-15's, with certain specifications, 16" barrel, iron sights, etc. etc. RRA, Armalite, Bushmaster, and Colt are approved manufacturers. Everything has to be inspected and registered before it can be used on duty. Individuals also have to qualify with that weapon type. |
|
Every patrol officer in my dept. gets issued a 12ga. and a Mini-14. If you want to carry something else, you are financially responsible for it, you qualify with it, you carry it. Several of us have turned in the Rugers and opted for the AR (no brainer). One guy went so far as to purchase a G3 for patrol. |
| We just got A1's from the 1033 program last week. Before that we had M-14's. Still have them but won't be on the street. Doing away with shotguns too. They'll be used for less-lethal applications. Some officers have bought their own AR's. So now we only have two calibers, 5.56 and .40 Glocks. |
|
SWAT Carries their M4s and M16s while working the streets. All sidearms and long guns are issued. No personally-owned weapons except for backups and plain clothes guns. After a five year battle, I finally convinced the Administration, on up to the Chief, that we needed patrol Rifles. Then the Chief retired. The new Chief, thankfully, is a big proponent of patrol rifles. Weapons will be issued only, however, but will replace all of the 870s over the next several years, as we replace cars. The current setup that we will field soon will be Bushmaster M4A3-type carbines with fixed BUIS, EOTechs, and Surefire M500s mounted in the cars. We may adjust that as time goes on (we bought the stock Bushmaster sights; should have gotten LaRue but I didn't know any better at the time). The first round will go to street supervisors (more to test the waters and to ensure 24/7 coverage). After that they will go to everyone, after training. We will probably convert some of our older surplus M16A1 rifles to SEMI-only and issue those as a stop gap. We may evn buy more, since they are practically a steal at $27 a pop. Most agencies in our area have gone to issued or authorized .223 carbines, or a combination of both. There are a few holdouts, though. That seems to be the new standard in LE, though it will probably be another decade before everyone catches on (just like the revolver to automatic switch that started in the 1980s) |
We started out with supervisors carrying issued Bushies, (and downloaded mags) That didn't work too well, since they finally figured out that when a rifle was REALLY needed, it was sitting in a car in the station parking lot.Then we had the pursuit that turned into a barricaded subject with an AR15, who shot a lot of holes in our patrol cars. We went to designated riflemen with issued Bushies, but that didn't work too well either, due to the uneven coverage, days off, transfers, and small number of rifles. Still downloaded the mags. (5 rounds!!) Then there was the LA bank robbery, and the massacre of Peace Officers in Atascosa county. Now, anyone that wants to pony up can carry one. (Except bike patrol)  Finally got up to speed when the Idjits In Charge figured out that officers will BUY their own, and even will supply the ammo for the qualification course. Somehow, the "Downloaded mag" requirement kind of got ignored, along with the 20 rd mag requirement, and the "No Optics" requirement. 
|
What were they downloaded too? 18 in the 20? 28 in the 30? I find having the 20 rounder in the weapon when its in the rack over my head works better than the 30 rounder, and every other mag I carry on the weapon or in the car is a 30 rounder. I figure if I can't handle it in 9 30 round magazines worth of ammo, something is seriously wrong. |
|
Tennessee checking in, My dept. issues 16" M4 style patrol rifles. We may carry personal rifles s long as they meet Armorer's requirements and are AR15's in 5.56mm. Accessories (optics etc) must also be approved by dept. armorer. The good thing is that i am the department armorer. |
|
My agency will issue you a semi-auto M-4, but they won't let you carry and qualify with your own. They will let you carry and qualify with your own pistol or shotgun and no one has ever been able to find anyone who seems to know the origin of this rule. And, until recently, they would issue you a full auto AR or SMG, so the "no personally owned AR's" rule makes even less sense, now. |
|
My first chief did not allow rifles. After fighting about 2 years I got him to allow officers to carry their own rifles once they were trained. He said we needed his authorization prior to using them. Better to ask forgiveness than permission I always say. Anyway the next chief we had was all for them and he ordered 10 DPMS M4's 2 are full auto. I retained my personal Colt so more officers could have rifles and because I prefer Colts to DPMS. Right now were between chiefs but Patol rifles are here to stay if I have anything to say about it. Pat |