questions

[H&KFANBOY]

I'm a Marine at Pendleton looking to become LEO after EAS. I own a Glock 21 and a smith and Wesson M&P 15 (CAL legal). If I got hired on, would I be ok to use that Glock? I have heard of some departments limiting what you can use when you first join.

Also, if I became rifle qualed, could I use my M&P 15 as a patrol rifle? and if so, would I be ok to remove the bullet button?

Lastly, what are your opinions on cal gun laws from all the LEO's? I'm just curious.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[BoJackUSMC]

Guns are the last thing you should worry about..
First, you will have to pass the written test, physical, medical, psych, polygraph, and background..

Afterwards, you still have to graduate from the academy and pass the FTO phase (if you go to city police vs county deputy).

Just like good old Marine Corps.. department will issue you all the gears you need long as you are not going through the academy as self sponsored recruit.

[Rogue187]

If you are hired on a department. The department will issue you a duty weapon to include your rifle. There is no using your own equipment. The department does not want the liability of you using your own stuff.
The only time where you may get to use your own is if your hired with a small rural department then you would still be restricted to what the department uses.
Your Glock 21 may be approved for off duty but that's it.
As for your rifle unless the chief issues you a letter and you register your rifle with DOJ. You want nothing to do with that program.


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[P5Ret]

I'm a Marine at Pendleton looking to become LEO after EAS. I own a Glock 21 and a smith and Wesson M&P 15 (CAL legal). If I got hired on, would I be ok to use that Glock? I have heard of some departments limiting what you can use when you first join.

Also, if I became rifle qualed, could I use my M&P 15 as a patrol rifle? and if so, would I be ok to remove the bullet button?

Lastly, what are your opinions on cal gun laws from all the LEO's? I'm just curious.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

1) agency dependent. Some allow personally owned duty guns some don't.

2) Again depends on the agency, but I wouldn't bet on it. Removing the bullet button, won't get you anywhere anyway, you'd need a letter authorizing you to purchase an AW for duty use, I don't know if that letter would cover removing a bullet button from a personally owned rifle. Also there is an AG opinion letter that AW's purchased by officer's become department property on separation from that agency. Just my opinion but you'd probably be better off with a department issued rifle.

[micro911]

LASD will issue you a pistol. After you graduate the academy, you will have an option to carry a different pistol. They have a list of approved firearms that you can carry, but Glock is not one of them. You will have to attend additional training class for the particular pistol.

Rifle and shotguns will be department issued only, currently Colt M4 and Remington 870.

[Spyder]

Rogue, you have some peculiar ideas

[Rogue187]

Spyder..
I'm old school..
Every department I've been on has issued a firearm and the only time you could carry your own pistol was off duty..
As for the AR..we can use them when at work...but nothing about using your own.
I've been a Fed for pretty much all my career..
But, for a municiple agency they may allow the personal use for duty..but many now issue the firearm because there is too much liability in your own..trigger work/modified stuff is a headache..
But your mileage may vary.

[darthmars]

My department allows any firearm from a matrix which is pretty much any firearm from a major manufacturer. Don't worry about which gun you can carry, if they issue you one they do if they don't they don't. It's the Indian, not the arrow.

[CH483]

Why would you want to carry your own? My issued duty weapon (Glock) is dinged up from constantly hitting it on things. It's been through rain countless times, dust, dirt, etc. would you want to do that to your own pistol?

Plus, if you do damage an issued weapon not a huge deal. A personally owned firearm would not be replaced on the department dime with my agency.

[x-007]

All LE agencies are very concerned about liability issues....BUT some agencies do allow you to carry privately-purchased firearms IF they comply with their firearms policy. I believe that you would have to get an approval and have your firearm checked by the dept armorer before being allowed to carry it on-duty (or off-duty).

As someone else pointed out, firearms that are used while on-duty get scratched, dinged and "abused" from constant usage, so why would you want to ruin your privately-owned firearm?

I was issued a S&W model 15 .38 spl revolver in 1971, when I joined the LAPD. It got "shelved" when I was able to transition over to the Beretta 92F pistol, which I carried until I retired in 2002. The issued revolver was still in "very good" condition when I retired, and I was given the option of buying it from the dept at retirement....for a whopping $49.

[Rogue187]

Also don't forget if you are involved in a shoot..
Your gun is taken in as evidence..So you would be without your gun.
If your using a dept gun, they will reissue you another one from the armory.
Also if you lose it the dept will issue you another one but not your Glock..

[1CavScout]

I was only aliowed to carry my personal weapon for a few years. My agency eventually went to Agency owned weapons only for both handguns and rifles.

I would worry more about trying to get hired, and go from there.

[gotthelife4u]

Let me echo what BoJackUSMC said, you have much bigger fish to fry than to worry about what firearms you can use. Now depending on what department you land at they may let you carry something other than the department issued pistol.

My department lets use carry whatever we like as long as it's 9mm, .40 S&W, or, .45 ACP. We issue the Glock 21 SF but I have elected to carry my S&W M&P 9mm. I was responsible to provide my own magazines, gun holster and magazine carrier for my pistol. Our department armor was nice enough to install Trijicon HD night sights that I provided on my pistol for me.

The nice thing about sticking with the department provided gun is in a pinch you can grab a mag off your partner if you are in the weeds and your department armor will take care of all the servicing of the weapon.

[ke6guj]

Also don't forget if you are involved in a shoot..
Your gun is taken in as evidence..So you would be without your gun.
If your using a dept gun, they will reissue you another one from the armory.
Also if you lose it the dept will issue you another one but not your Glock..

which is my my deputy friend owns two identical HK USP45's. the agency issues Glocks and he doesn't like the way Glocks point for him so he provides his own.

[micro911]

My issue firearms were:
1. S&W model 67 38 Special revolver,
2. Beretta Model 92FS 9mm pistol, and later
3. S&W M&P9.

I used to carry authorized personal firearms on duty (after required training):
1. S&W model 586 (no extra training needed)
2. H&K USP 45
3. SIG P220
4. SIG P226

Now, I primarily carry a P226 9mm on and off duty as my daily pistol.