1960s policing (1960s-71)

I was talking to a former police officer today and he told me that he was among the first in his agency to carry a Colt Python. Other officers had to carry the department issue Colt Police Positive. Anyhow, as the rangemaster he got his chief to approve of the Python.

Back in those days, you could either carry your spare in dump pouches or on a belt loop. Speedloaders didn't come around until the '70s. The dump pouch deposited six loose rounds in your hand and you had to jiggle them around to reload your revolver. He went with a belt loop and had a special holder made that held eighteen rounds. He polished his brass and waxed them to prevent verdigris developing on them. Since they had to qualify twice a year, this wasn't a problem as he recycled his older ammunition for training or practice.

It was good that they practiced since back then, many of the plain clothes guys never went to the range. His chief got into the habit of visiting the detectives and inspecting their guns. Some guns had their bullets stored in them so long that the chief couldn't eject the cartridges. Others were so covered in dust that a cloud of the stuff would rise if you worked (the empty) action. Worse were the revolvers that had not been serviced and would not work. Range practice cured a lot of these issues (and they soon got an armorer who worked on their revolvers).

Anyway, they were limited to carrying 125 gr jacketed soft point. He cheated and carried hollow points. I asked him how he masked the bullets - specifically did he fill them in with something evil like mercury with a lead plug? Nope. he wasn't into playing with mercury. He used gray crayons and rubbed the crayon into the hole, sealing it to all but the most discerning eye. Happily, he never shot any one so he was never caught.
 
i started in '73 and well remember the dump pouches, polished brass buttons and buckes,etc. I still remember the day a co-worker came into briefing wearing a brassless Safariland gunbelt, and speedloader pouches instead of the dump pouches. You'd have thought he had committed a transgression too vile and disgusting to even speak of. He was sent home to get the approved gear. The rangemaster was an old time died-in-the-wool revolver guy. He was against speedloaders because he said if you dropped one, you'd drop all 6 rounds. True. I guess it was better to fumble around under stress trying to get 6 loose rounds into your gun. We were issued .38 Spcl. S&W model 10 revolvers, later S&W Model 64s. There were a few issued, fixed sight, .38 Spcl. Colt revolvers still in service. We were allowed to qualify with personally owned Colt and S&W .357 revolvers but had to load them with the issued .38 Spcl. 125 grain soft point ammo. Some were said to carry unauthorized .357 ammo, but nobody I worked around ever admitted to it. Our detectives were issued S&W Model 60 stainless .38 Spcl. revolvers. But, they did have to qualify just as often as the uniformed officers did. Those were the days ;-)
 
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Years ago I spoke with one officer who started in the days when SFPD wore single breasted jackets. They carried their revolvers beneath their coats. By the time he retired, he was one of the last revolver guys in that department and was assigned to protect City Hall.

Modern equipment is some sort of synthetic with no more brass/nickel snaps to polish.
 
dump pouch

Still have an issue dump pouch on my duty belt.....it carries a set of black disposable surgery gloves!!! (Well untill I just recently retired!!!)
 
I was a never a cop but I did work as a security guard during that time period. The day I got hired I was issued a Colt Official Police, 38 Special, with faux pearl grips, a Sam Brown belt, a Jordan style holster, and six rounds of RNL 38 Special ammo.

Training consisted of being told "Don't shoot yourself, or anybody else you don't have to" and being handed a little booklet called something like "You and your revolver."

I had never fired a handgun in my life.
 
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