Armed Officers: What type of weapon?

[Charger]

Hello all!

Someone mentioned something in another thread that made me think about this, so I thought I'd get a general idea of the preferences around here..

For all you armed Officers, what type of weapons do you carry, or prefer to carry? Did you have the purchase it yourself, or did your agency supply it?

Another question, do you follow the ideal that all Officers within an agency should carry identical weapons, for the sake of using a fellow Officer's ammo in a bad situation? Even though that particular weapon may be good for one Officer, but another may be only mildly proficient with it?
Or do you believe Officers should be able to use the weapon they're the best/most comfortable with?

My current agency is unarmed for the time being, but when I used to do patrol I carried a Walther P99 9mm... purchased it myself, as well as all my other duty gear. That agency allowed us to choose our own weapon, as long as it was a name brand (ie. S&W, H&K, Glock, Beretta, etc) and not a cheap knock-off.

And, as long as we're on the subject, civilian mags, or pre-ban (LEO) mags?

[Arff312]

Ok i am not armed but one of the agencies i work with (not sure how much longer though) does allow you to be armed if certified. You have to buy your own weapon and ammo. but you have to meet within a certian few weapon types. Now it is my opinion that i will carry a 40 cal. Glock when i do go armed. Also i feel that officers should not be required to carry the same weapon when you have to supply your own weapon. Also i feel that if you are going to be armed your weapon and ammo should be provided to you. But for some reason most security agencies dont do this. I am not sure why.

[Charger]

Ok i am not armed but one of the agencies i work with (not sure how much longer though) does allow you to be armed if certified. You have to buy your own weapon and ammo. but you have to meet within a certian few weapon types. Now it is my opinion that i will carry a 40 cal. Glock when i do go armed. Also i feel that officers should not be required to carry the same weapon when you have to supply your own weapon. Also i feel that if you are going to be armed your weapon and ammo should be provided to you. But for some reason most security agencies dont do this. I am not sure why.

Well, from what I understand from speaking to some of the executives at my previous company, there's a few reasons they don't supply the weapons....
#1- (Obvious) Cost... Anywhere from $400 - $1000 extra per Officer, JUST for the weapon... that could add up to a lot of money for some companies..
#2- Liability... (Supposedly) there have been cases where companies supplied their Officers with weapons, and then got sued for their Officer using it on someone while off-duty... the only way to resolve this would be for all the Officers to turn their weapon in at the end of each shift... which again would add to cost, for secure lockers & whatnot to properly store all the weapons...

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm looking at purchasing 5 weapons for "comapny guns," for those employees who come to me without a weapon, or with a weapon that isn't on the approved list. One of the ways you get around the off-duty issue is a waiver of liability and notarized statement of intent, which may or may not hold up in court.

The other, of course, is to ensure that any shoot - on or off duty - will be justified through training beyond the state minimums for firearms carry. If your going to give someone a deadly weapon, make sure you know they know how to use it, including incident articulation after the fact.

I'm probally going to end up buying either Ruger P-Series in .40, or S&W Auto in 9mm. Why? Cost. Guns are expensive. If I was made of money, I'd have Beretta PX4 Storms in .40 caliber.

As far as having everyone carry identical guns, I can see the idea behind it, but lets face it. Everyone should be carrying 3 magazines - 2 in the carrier, 1 in the weapon. If they reach that last mag, something is really, really, wrong, and having more ammo probally won't save them. The police are not coming.

Usually, we can end a lethal encounter on the first magazine, if we can shoot straight, and we're not facing something like the Chinese Army attacking. I'm an advocate of shot placement over quantity - two to four rounds can stop a target.

I see there's a big trend in Wiscosnin to have people certified with the M4A2 .223 rifle. To be honest, I'm probally going to stick an M4 in at least one truck, there's alot of rural area up here, and if we can get a few land management contracts, I might even want a .308 in the trucks to destroy lame animals or defend against insane hunters. In that case, they'll be company weapons only, and stay with the vehicle at the end of the shift. Mags would be interchangable.

The only problem about M4s is finding someone who qualified as 80% or 90% with the weapon who dosen't already work for a police department full time. I'm not even sure I could qualify as expert on the M16 qualification, which is a general requirement for patrol rifles on most police departments. I figure they're doing it for a reason, the reason being demonstrating accuracy, and its a good idea to do it.

Your good old fashioned Remington 870 or Winchester Defender can deliver both accurate lethal fire, but has a new life as a dedicated less lethal weapon. By changing stocks and loading it with only Super Sock or PepperBall's 12 gauge pepper round, you have a less-lethal weapon that may prove to save a biligerant's life when lethal force may of been justified.

For those states that allow it, I've seen pepperball (pepper paint ball) employed in a novel but useful fashion for security. Room searches and clears, or interior intruder situations. You can put fire at the ceiling of the room your about to enter, which dispurses the pepper into the room through the door. US Bail Bonds has a training video where they demonstrate this, they just keep firing rounds into the room till the bad guy gives up. Even if he won't give up, you'll hear the bad guy. (Unless he's masked, then you have a whole new set of problems if your bad guy is wearing a gas mask).

[farscape]

I have seen many here with a .380, 38 and 9mm. As long as they have the training and permission by the head of the security company. I thought about it last year but no one pays any more here weather your armed or not. I would think a 380 would look strange on a uniform belt being so small. But like any gun I don't want to be on the receiving end of any of them no matter what caliber. But, some of you mentioned 40 caliber? Have other states granted this now because I was told .40's are not allowed in Florida. For the exception of the police.

[N. A. Corbier]

I have seen many here with a .380, 38 and 9mm. As long as they have the training and permission by the head of the security company. I thought about it last year but no one pays any more here weather your armed or not. I would think a 380 would look strange on a uniform belt being so small. But like any gun I don't want to be on the receiving end of any of them no matter what caliber. But, some of you mentioned 40 caliber? Have other states granted this now because I was told .40's are not allowed in Florida. For the exception of the police.

Oh, I'm in Wisconsin now. I can have employees carry ANYTHING that I can get them certified in to Wisconsin DAAT and Dept. of Justice Police Firearm Training Standards. Around here, most people carry .40s, some .45s... You can get away with carrying a .44 auto-mag if you can qualify with it.

BUT, in Florida, you can carry the taser, and we cannot. Only sworn LE personnel and the National Guard may even bring them into the state.

Florida, specifically, authorizes the 9mm, .38 Special, and .380 for security and PI licensees with the G license. A long time coming, too.

[davis002]

For my service weapon I carry a Glock 22 .40cal with Tritium sights and a M3 Streamlight Tactical Illuminator (see attached photo).

For my executive protection or plain-clothes assignments, I carry a Glock 27 .40cal (also serves as my backup weapon in an ankle holster as needed).

For ammunition our company issues Federal Premium .40cal Hydra-Shok.

And lastly, we are issued hi-cap magazines for our weapons.

[N. A. Corbier]

For my service weapon I carry a Glock 22 .40cal with Tritium sights and a M3 Streamlight Tactical Illuminator (see attached photo).

For my executive protection or plain-clothes assignments, I carry a Glock 27 .40cal (also serves as my backup weapon in an ankle holster as needed).

For ammunition our company issues Federal Premium .40cal Hydra-Shok.

And lastly, we are issued hi-cap magazines for our weapons.

How's the Hydra-Shok work in .40? That was the first choice for personal and agency carry I made. But, I like other opinions on it.

[Bill Warnock]

Whatever semiautomatic handgun you purchase and/or own, insure it has a decocking lever if you chamber a round to facilitate an immediate first shot. This allows the cocked hammer to be safely lowered into the safety position without touching the hammer. Further, make sure it has a firing pin lock that provides positive safety with the hammer in either the cocked or decocked position. If the weapon is dropped or otherwise struck with a degree of force, the firing pin cannot strike the primer causing an unintended discharge of the handgun.
I know we have moved beyond the Colt Model 1911A1. In special situations, we were allowed to holster the 1911A1 in the Cocked and Locked mode. There were occasions when the weapon was dropped on concrete with a subsequent discharge. That problem when away when Air Force adopted the S&W .38 Combat Masterpiece. The modern double action revolver has a rebound slide and a hammer block. My two cents!
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[EMTGuard]

I'm not armed but our company has a handful of Security Officers who are armed. The ones I've spoken with carry company issue S&W model 10 .38 Specials with 6 plain lead round nose bullets. Pretty pathetic.

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm not armed but our company has a handful of Security Officers who are armed. The ones I've spoken with carry company issue S&W model 10 .38 Specials with 6 plain lead round nose bullets. Pretty pathetic.

Just wait till they shoot someone, and not only fail to stop them, but kill them by putting so many rounds into them to get them to fall down that there's nothing left but swiss cheese.

That, and wait for them to shoot at someone and have the rounds impact a bystander or sensitive equipment behind the target.

[1stWatch]

Normally I carry a .40 caliber Beretta 96. I also own a .357 magnum Ruger GP100 and occasionally carry it on duty instead. I also carry a 3.17 oz can of Body Guard LE-10 oc spray and a steel straight baton.

[1stWatch]

Oh yes, the other part of the question. All the gear I had to purchase myself. I have yet to see any private security agency in Texas that will provide a weapon to a security officer at its own cost.
The magazines are civilian magazines that hold 10 cartridges per magazine.
As far as each officer carrying the same caliber of weapon, that person's job description would determine the necessity. Since most security officers I know work alone or with one partner at the assignment and purchase their own weapons, the idea of having the same type of weapon in order to swap magazines in the event of a lengthy shootout doesn't make a lot of sense. However, it does make more sense in the event there is a large team of security officers in an environment such as populated apartment communities in a high crime area or government housing authority.

[S/O245]

My agency issues some for on duty use they issue 45 cal and 40. I have a 9mm , 38 spl for off duty (CCW) also a 40 cal. I like 40 cal

Stay Safe All

[Guest]

S&W .45 Air Lite Hammerless