owning guns before applying for LEO

[HisOwnHero]

Also, I was told by multiple LEOs not to buy a gun because Police Academies prefer candidates that never fired one. When I bet most of the LE calgunners have in the past.

This is true with a lot of academy's but not all. You will have to learn how to shoot the way THEY want you to and if you are already in your own groove if you will, they will have to break your habits and teach you how to conform to their standards. For instance, when I went through, we had a deputy from a different state that had to go through our academy. He was used to shooting modified weaver stance along with carrying his mags vertical. We teach platform stance with horizontal strong side mag carry. He turned out to be one of the worst shooters in the class because he was constantly fighting what was being taught and not applying it correctly. We had people that had never shot a gun before shoot near a perfect qual score. It all depends on the academy. I know my firearms instructors did not like teaching those that had previous firearms experience for the most part. The ones that had extensive firearms experience (with a few exceptions) felt like they knew everything and wouldn't listen when instructed. This in turn led to a lot of head butting with the instructors.

Bottom line is if you are already proficient with a firearm and know firearm safety, go into the academy with an open mind. Do what you are told by the firearm instructors even if it's different from what you know and or maybe not as good as your methods. It is being taught the way it is for a reason. I owned a gun before going to the academy but I learned to shoot the way they wanted me to, carried my mags the way they wanted and kept an open mind the whole time.

[Notorious]

That is too much. Having a standard issue gun is one thing but mandating how your mags wil be worn on the belt is micromanaging at its worst. I have never seen that even with ultra rigorous LAPD where they only mandate it for inspections and not for duty.

[davedog665]

I think you should worry more about the question "would you rather be a florist or an architect?" that they will ask.

Haha i just had to take my written again for the chippies since my first has expired.

My BI did ask me what firearms i owned i told him he was pretty cool about it. Asked me where i liked to shoot at and why i decided to get an AR. Also checked that i didn't have anything illegal for it such as a F/A. That was about it oh and how i stored them.

Out of everything i was grilled about for 4 hours that was the only part of the conversation that felt as if we were just talking not being interrogated.

[Notorious]

Haha i just had to take my written again for the chippies since my first has expired.

My BI did ask me what firearms i owned i told him he was pretty cool about it. Asked me where i liked to shoot at and why i decided to get an AR. Also checked that i didn't have anything illegal for it such as a F/A. That was about it oh and how i stored them.

Out of everything i was grilled about for 4 hours that was the only part of the conversation that felt as if we were just talking not being interrogated.

Did he ask to inspect the firearms when he came over to see if everything was kosher?

[sunball42]

I dont know if you had the interview yet but when i did my background i owned 97 guns at the time and 27 of those were handguns. I have been a officer for almost two years now and there were no problems. Good luck and I hope this info helps you out.

[Notorious]

I dont know if you had the interview yet but when i did my background i owned 97 guns at the time and 27 of those were handguns. I have been a officer for almost two years now and there were no problems. Good luck and I hope this info helps you out.

Why do you own so many guns? Do you NEED that many guns? You some kind of right wing NRA member?

[sunball42]

Not really I just hunt alot and I worked in a gun shop for five years....just kept bringing strays home!!!

[Notorious]

Well... In DHS, you are seriously undergunned.

[PandaLuv]

This is true with a lot of academy's but not all. You will have to learn how to shoot the way THEY want you to and if you are already in your own groove if you will, they will have to break your habits and teach you how to conform to their standards. For instance, when I went through, we had a deputy from a different state that had to go through our academy. He was used to shooting modified weaver stance along with carrying his mags vertical. We teach platform stance with horizontal strong side mag carry. He turned out to be one of the worst shooters in the class because he was constantly fighting what was being taught and not applying it correctly. We had people that had never shot a gun before shoot near a perfect qual score. It all depends on the academy. I know my firearms instructors did not like teaching those that had previous firearms experience for the most part. The ones that had extensive firearms experience (with a few exceptions) felt like they knew everything and wouldn't listen when instructed. This in turn led to a lot of head butting with the instructors.

Bottom line is if you are already proficient with a firearm and know firearm safety, go into the academy with an open mind. Do what you are told by the firearm instructors even if it's different from what you know and or maybe not as good as your methods. It is being taught the way it is for a reason. I owned a gun before going to the academy but I learned to shoot the way they wanted me to, carried my mags the way they wanted and kept an open mind the whole time.

Interesting, thanks for the input.
But really relearning how to shoot doesn't seem so hard to me since I am a quick learner. I don't want to wear holsters until I join the academy, so learning how to carry a weapon and mags should not be hard. I am new to shooting so all stances feel about the same but I heard that stance is the least important aspect of shooting.

[Notorious]

I heard that stance is the least important aspect of shooting.

Hitting the target is the most important part of shooting. You can use whatever stance you want and even close your eyes while dancing a jig backwards if you want as long as it works for you and you hit that target.

[VytamenC Tactical]

Not really I just hunt alot and I worked in a gun shop for five years....just kept bringing strays home!!!

kind of like the guy who works in the tattoo shop right. they get addicting lol

[deadcoyote]

Wasn't a problem at my agency.

If it is a problem with an agency you applied for, do you really want to work for them?

ding ding ding, winner.
It's been a while but in 1998 no one asked or cared about what firearms I owned.

[Erin]

This is true with a lot of academy's but not all. You will have to learn how to shoot the way THEY want you to and if you are already in your own groove if you will, they will have to break your habits and teach you how to conform to their standards. For instance, when I went through, we had a deputy from a different state that had to go through our academy. He was used to shooting modified weaver stance along with carrying his mags vertical. We teach platform stance with horizontal strong side mag carry. He turned out to be one of the worst shooters in the class because he was constantly fighting what was being taught and not applying it correctly. We had people that had never shot a gun before shoot near a perfect qual score. It all depends on the academy. I know my firearms instructors did not like teaching those that had previous firearms experience for the most part. The ones that had extensive firearms experience (with a few exceptions) felt like they knew everything and wouldn't listen when instructed. This in turn led to a lot of head butting with the instructors.

Bottom line is if you are already proficient with a firearm and know firearm safety, go into the academy with an open mind. Do what you are told by the firearm instructors even if it's different from what you know and or maybe not as good as your methods. It is being taught the way it is for a reason. I owned a gun before going to the academy but I learned to shoot the way they wanted me to, carried my mags the way they wanted and kept an open mind the whole time.

when i went to academy they put my mags where they wanted them and pepper spray, everything. it was rediculous. but worst of all the micro management. the instructor almost failed me manipulations because when i do a tactical reload i dont pinch the old mag between the right fingers... i hear he isnt the instructor anymore