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Are most officers allowed to carry their own firearm or are they required to carry the standard issue?

By Yahoo Answers
2008-01-24 06:18:13
my friend just got out of the academy a few months back and is now an officer and im thinking of doing the same thing. we took his glock model 22 (his issue weapon) the other day and shot a couple mags out of it. ive been shooting rifles as long as i can remember but havent shot many pistols. i hit a 1 quart oil jug about 4-5 times out of a 15 round clip at 20 yards are so. i know im not that bad of a shot and if i were to go into law enforcement i would want to use a more accurate gun. another friend has a beretta 96g elite ii, very accurate and good looking gun. i plan on purchasing one just like it but if im going to go into law enforcement i dont want to spend that kind of money and not be able to carry it.
Answered By: NYPD.Hwy. Retired
Again, this is a department to department policy issue. In the NYPD you were authorized only to carry the "Approved" firearm on duty, and "Approved" off duty weapon. The CPL of NYS tells us we can carry anything we want - so there is no criminal charge against us if we carry outside department policy; there is however a department charge. Liability is a factor as well. If I carry an "unauthorized" firearm off duty and use it lawfully, I will be sued civilly and will feel the repercussions from the department. On duty, you use what you train with - when I first came on I used a .38, and we had to purchase them as well. Even in the NYPD we pay for about everything including the pin that holds our shield on our uniforms. In the end it was found in a significant amount of "Authorized" firearms, they were "Authorized" or became "Authorized" due to some Chiefs decision - because he "liked" a manufacturer more than another - if you get my drift. But it is a department policy, not a general policy.
User: N. Cognito
Police officers often carry a personal firearm as a backup. Military officers are required to carry standard issue. You didn't specify.
User: Citicop
Depends on the department. Most issue a gun that you must carry on duty, some allow you to carry your own. I have to carry the issued gun on duty, but may carry a personally owned back up gun, and may carry an approved personally owned gun off duty. Most guns by reputable manufacturers are just as accurate as anything. I have never found the Beretta to be more or less accurate than the Golck, my H&K, etc...
User: drb1256
You can carry your own weapon on duty as long as it meets your departments guidelines. You must qualify with that weapon according to you state and department policies.
User: NYPD.Hwy505.
Again, this is a department to department policy issue. In the NYPD you were authorized only to carry the "Approved" firearm on duty, and "Approved" off duty weapon. The CPL of NYS tells us we can carry anything we want - so there is no criminal charge against us if we carry outside department policy; there is however a department charge. Liability is a factor as well. If I carry an "unauthorized" firearm off duty and use it lawfully, I will be sued civilly and will feel the repercussions from the department. On duty, you use what you train with - when I first came on I used a .38, and we had to purchase them as well. Even in the NYPD we pay for about everything including the pin that holds our shield on our uniforms. In the end it was found in a significant amount of "Authorized" firearms, they were "Authorized" or became "Authorized" due to some Chiefs decision - because he "liked" a manufacturer more than another - if you get my drift. But it is a department policy, not a general policy.
User: joseph b
Police officers are required to carry whatever weapon their agency authorizes some agencies will say a certain model, caliber and ammo, others will give specs that the officer must meet, if he chooses to carry another weapon (other than standard issue). By doing so they can set standards for training and qualifications. They MAY carry whatever they want as an off duty weapon.
User: eentweedrievier2007
Check with department policy. If you get in a gunfight with someone, you (and your department) will want all the spent shells and bullets to be accounted for easily. If all the police use a certain standard issue weapon, it is much easier to rebuild a crime scene afterwards. In other words, cover your a$$.
User: madox01r
It really depends on the department that you are applying for. Usually upon graduation you are given a paper stating the options you have for the firearms you carry. I know that the LAPD use the Glock and LASD use the PF92s berretta. Other than that it really depends on the department's policy.
User: N. Cognito
Police officers often carry a personal firearm as a backup. Military officers are required to carry standard issue. You didn't specify.
User: Citicop
Depends on the department. Most issue a gun that you must carry on duty, some allow you to carry your own. I have to carry the issued gun on duty, but may carry a personally owned back up gun, and may carry an approved personally owned gun off duty. Most guns by reputable manufacturers are just as accurate as anything. I have never found the Beretta to be more or less accurate than the Golck, my H&K, etc...
User: drb1256
You can carry your own weapon on duty as long as it meets your departments guidelines. You must qualify with that weapon according to you state and department policies.
User: NYPD.Hwy505.
Again, this is a department to department policy issue. In the NYPD you were authorized only to carry the "Approved" firearm on duty, and "Approved" off duty weapon. The CPL of NYS tells us we can carry anything we want - so there is no criminal charge against us if we carry outside department policy; there is however a department charge. Liability is a factor as well. If I carry an "unauthorized" firearm off duty and use it lawfully, I will be sued civilly and will feel the repercussions from the department. On duty, you use what you train with - when I first came on I used a .38, and we had to purchase them as well. Even in the NYPD we pay for about everything including the pin that holds our shield on our uniforms. In the end it was found in a significant amount of "Authorized" firearms, they were "Authorized" or became "Authorized" due to some Chiefs decision - because he "liked" a manufacturer more than another - if you get my drift. But it is a department policy, not a general policy.
User: joseph b
Police officers are required to carry whatever weapon their agency authorizes some agencies will say a certain model, caliber and ammo, others will give specs that the officer must meet, if he chooses to carry another weapon (other than standard issue). By doing so they can set standards for training and qualifications. They MAY carry whatever they want as an off duty weapon.
User: eentweedrievier2007
Check with department policy. If you get in a gunfight with someone, you (and your department) will want all the spent shells and bullets to be accounted for easily. If all the police use a certain standard issue weapon, it is much easier to rebuild a crime scene afterwards. In other words, cover your a$$.
User: madox01r
It really depends on the department that you are applying for. Usually upon graduation you are given a paper stating the options you have for the firearms you carry. I know that the LAPD use the Glock and LASD use the PF92s berretta. Other than that it really depends on the department's policy.

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