What type of hand gun do police officers carry and why this particular gun.The 9mm for example.?

Answer 1

depends on the city. here in sacramento, ca the police uses sig sauer 45

Answer 2

Sidearms are typically issued by the police department and not selected by individual officers.

The 9mm "Parabellum" cartridge is and has been a poor choice for a hundred years. The U.S. Army ran field trials on cattle carcasses that long ago and decided in favor of the .45ACP. They went back to the 9mm in recent years with the idea of standardizing with other nations, and have even more recently begun re-issuing the .45 because they have again realized that the 9mm just doesn't get the job done. Police departments have been dropping the 9mm in favor of the modern .40S&W cartridge for the same reason. Since there aren't any century-old guns chambered for the .40S&W, it can be loaded to higher pressures and velocities than either the 9mm or the .45ACP. Still, the old .45, with it's standard 230 grain bullet, retains its reputation as a man-stopper.

Answer 3

Department issue for me is the Glock 17 in 9mm. Back up weapons are optional but encouraged, and I usually carry a Kahr MK9 on my ankle. AR-15's and Remington 870's are carried in the trunk. Most departments are going with the Glock pistols in various calibers. No agency or officer I know authorizes or carries revolvers anymore.

Answer 4

the exact type used very much depends on the location, but I believe in that in general semi-auto 9mm handguns are preferred. to see why, we must first understand what is needed in a police handgun:

1. stopping power vs. over penetration (we need for bullet to disable the target, yet not to punch through him completely and possibly hit the person standing behind him)
2. reliability (larger cartridges are more likely to cause jams)
3. ammo capacity (which get lower as the cartridges get larger)
4. draw speed and target-shifting speed (both of which decrease with larger, heavier guns), together with general handling ease
5. ability to effectively conceal the weapon, if needed
6. availability of suitable ammunition at the location in question.

for most police duties, in most places, the various 9mm pistols meet all of these requirements better than those of any other caliber. the exact make and model can vary.

I hope it answers your question.

Answer 5

John is absolutely correct. The individual departments select the duty weapons for their department's personnel. The reason is, if there is a firefight, the same ammo can be used in all the weapons. If I have 3 magazines, and my partner is out, I can toss him one of mine, and he is again loaded.

I use the Glock Model 17, 9mm. 17 rounds per magazine, so my carry amount is 51 rounds (never carry one in the chamber). My second choice (if I had a choice) would be a .45.

Answer 6

It depends on which department you work for, the trend is going away from 9mm to 40cal S&W. Stopping power / the ablity to instantly stop the bad guys from doing those things that could cause death or serious bodily injury is the reason for the shift in caliber as the 9mm have been found lacking.

Answer 7

The 'Duty Weapon' is determined by the Department the officer works for. Most departments have a 'Policy Statement' the spells out what the back up or off duty weapon can be.
As for caliber, right now the .40 cal seems to be the caliber of choice for most of the Departments in my area. The make runs the gamut: Glock, S&W, Ruger, etc.,.

Answer 8

It varies by department and the department's mission needs. My department gives a choice between the Glock 17 or Glock 19. We have several small and female officers and they are given the option of the smaller Glock 19 to better fit their hands. Most departments make their choice because of testing, usually based on the FBI's tests.

Answer 9

Different departments carry different weapons. Many choose the Glock 9mm because it is light, durable, and does not jam or misfire very often.
It is NOT the best choice for everyone, though.

Answer 10

Personal choice.
I carry a Kel Tec- Lightest 9mm made

Answer 11

I carry a smith and wesson 5946. i chose it over the glock and the sig, because its the most comfortable in my hand. Also, these are the oly 3 we're allowed to choose from.