LEO duty weapon question

[AFJailor]

OK, so this is probably the wrong place to be asking this but im not sure where else to look.
When i get out of the military i want to go back to the DFW area and try out the civilian LE life, i was just curious on what weapons some of the departments carry, and how it works with regards to carrying your own firearm and especially whether or not they allow 1911's.
If any LEO's out there could lend me a hand with finding the answer to this i would appreciate it.

[CHL/LEO]

Dallas PD - ONLY Sigs allowed with the primary duty weapon being the 226 in either 9mm or .357 Sig.

Thanks for your military service to our country.

[FriscoKid]

Each department is different and has its own policies.

From what I've seen, there are very few municipal departments (if any in the metro area) that carry .45 cal any more. Some county sheriff/constibles may still, and some small/outlying municipal departments may.

Some departments will issue a gun if you don't have one, but you're as likely to get a .38 wheelgun as anything else, especially from small departments.

Unless you find out differently from a specific department, if you're looking to get into an LE job you will be OK with a 9mm Sig in 98% of the departments.

[HankB]

About a year ago, a uniformed motorcycle officer of Austin PD pulled up next to me when I was stopped at a red light, and I got a look at his sidearm - it was a stainless 1911, carried cocked and locked.

Dallas PD - ONLY Sigs allowed with the primary duty weapon being the 226 in either 9mm or .357 Sig.

Hmmm . . . I believe a friend's son joined Dallas PD a couple of years ago, and I could've sworn he told me his son carried a Glock. I'll ask him next time we talk . . .

I wouldn't be happy working for Dallas, as SIGs have, in my hands, terrible "pointability."

[AFJailor]

Well i definately dont have a problem with Sigs and now i have a reason to purchase another pistol :)

[CHL/LEO]

I could've sworn he told me his son carried a Glock

We have a few (very few) officer that have Glocks. They were part of the semi auto test that our department did years ago when we transitioned from revolvers to SA.

The had narrowed it down to three SAs that they were considering: Glock, Sig, and Beretta. Officers were given the opportunity to purchase one of these SAs in 9mm to so as to provide feedback to the department. The decision was made to go with Sigs but all of the officers who purchased Glocks and Berettas were allowed to continue to use them as their primary duty weapon. Not that many chose Glocks at the time (it was new then to LE and didn't have the proven track record that it now does) and many of them have since retired.

So, you still may see a few DPD officers (my wife considers her self one of the "lucky ones") with Glocks but not any of the newer officers like your friend's son. He would have been issued a Sig 226 in 9mm with the DAK trigger assembly. He could have bought his own Sig if he wanted to in either DA/SA or with the DAK in either 9mm or .357Sig. Quite a few officers have gone the .357Sig route because of the enhanced performance of that round compared to the standard issue 9mm duty round - (147g. subsonic).

[Dwight K. Schrute]

I spoke with an APD officer while pumping some gas last night. I asked if he liked his Glock, and he responded in a "so-so" sort of manner. He asked if I was military, LE, or something like that as I knew what he was carrying when it was so well covered by his holster. I told him I was just an enthusiast, of sorts, and had recently acquired my CHL, thus peaking my interest even further. Anyway, he said that Art Acevedo (new APD chief for those not in the Austin area) was doing his best to make ALL officers carry Glock .40s, no ifs, ands, or buts. Thoughts?

[HankB]

. . . Art Acevedo (new APD chief for those not in the Austin area) was doing his best to make ALL officers carry Glock .40s, no ifs, ands, or buts. Thoughts?

Sounds like the new chief is an anal-retentive control freak, the quintissential bureaucrat. Wonder if his desire for uniformity will lead him to issue orders that the pistol be carried on the right side . . . even if the officer is left handed. (I've heard that some departments have so directed.)

[BrassMonkey]

The dallas cop who walks around at the plaza carries a Gen 1 Glock 17.

Dallas PD - ONLY Sigs allowed with the primary duty weapon being the 226 in either 9mm or .357 Sig.

Thanks for your military service to our country.

[CHL/LEO]

The dallas cop who walks around at the plaza carries a Gen 1 Glock 17.

Like I said in my post, a few officers have Glocks. And yes, most of them are Gen 1 unless you've fired it so much that when it went in for service Glock replaced it free with the latest model...

[BrassMonkey]

It's funny. His is so old and worn that the backstrap is shiny from his hand. Right where the grip safety on a 1911 would be.

The dallas cop who walks around at the plaza carries a Gen 1 Glock 17.

Like I said in my post, a few officers have Glocks. And yes, most of them are Gen 1 unless you've fired it so much that when it went in for service Glock replaced it free with the latest model...

[KRM45]

Each department is different and has its own policies.

From what I've seen, there are very few municipal departments (if any in the metro area) that carry .45 cal any more. Some county sheriff/constibles may still, and some small/outlying municipal departments may.

Some departments will issue a gun if you don't have one, but you're as likely to get a .38 wheelgun as anything else, especially from small departments.

Unless you find out differently from a specific department, if you're looking to get into an LE job you will be OK with a 9mm Sig in 98% of the departments.

I belive you will find most departments will issue a modern semiauto handgun. In many cases they will be Glock .40, 9mm, or .357sig.

I think it's Bedford, or maybe Hurst issues a 1911 to it's officers. Many departments will allow an officer to carry his own sidearm on duty as long as it is on an approved list, and they have qualified with it.

[ScubaSigGuy]

I could've sworn he told me his son carried a Glock

We have a few (very few) officer that have Glocks. They were part of the semi auto test that our department did years ago when we transitioned from revolvers to SA.

The had narrowed it down to three SAs that they were considering: Glock, Sig, and Beretta. Officers were given the opportunity to purchase one of these SAs in 9mm to so as to provide feedback to the department. The decision was made to go with Sigs but all of the officers who purchased Glocks and Berettas were allowed to continue to use them as their primary duty weapon. Not that many chose Glocks at the time (it was new then to LE and didn't have the proven track record that it now does) and many of them have since retired.

So, you still may see a few DPD officers (my wife considers her self one of the "lucky ones") with Glocks but not any of the newer officers like your friend's son. He would have been issued a Sig 226 in 9mm with the DAK trigger assembly. He could have bought his own Sig if he wanted to in either DA/SA or with the DAK in either 9mm or .357Sig. Quite a few officers have gone the .357Sig route because of the enhanced performance of that round compared to the standard issue 9mm duty round - (147g. subsonic).

I know a Dallas detective that carries a 229. is it possible that it is a .40 cal. I have seen it, so I know without a doubt it's a 229, but I have not handled it obviously. I could swear that he told me it was .40. I could be mistaken though.

[MoJo]

Anyway, he said that Art Acevedo (new APD chief for those not in the Austin area) was doing his best to make ALL officers carry Glock .40s, no ifs, ands, or buts. Thoughts?

While I'm not a Glock fan and certainly not a Glock in .40 fan one could do a whole lot worse than mandating this combination for all members of a department. The Glock is easy for non gun types to learn to use and they are rock solid dependable, the .40 S&W is a proven round.

Contrary to common perceptions the majority of cops aren't gun people and most don't even like to shoot. Giving then a standard weapon also allows for all officers on a force to have knowledge of how to operate another officer's gun and can use the ammo and mags of the other guy.

Many Federal, State and Local agencies mandate both gun and ammunition and there is little or no uproar.

[gregthehand]

The department I was at was small and we had to buy or own weapons. Therefore the list was pretty much anything except obviously crappy guns. Basically they told me if it cost under $400 brand new it's probably not a good idea. I would say the majority carried either the Glock .40 or the 1911 .45. Some did carry a Sig, a Glock .45, and one guy carried a Smith and Wesson Semi auto.