do all cops treat their guns like crap?

My neighbor is a LEO and he spends more time cleaning after a range trip than he does at the range. The last trip he would only go if I brought all the firearms as he didn't have time to be up all night cleaning his....LOL

Then again he is the only person I know that actually waxes his lawn tractor's deck...

He's just a bit OCD....just a bit:)
 
Answer?

Yes, No & Maybe ... :D

Buy any used LE equipment and see how well it was treated by the cops using it everyday (car, radio, computer, shotgun, handgun, flashlight, handcuffs, etc.), especially if it was issued equipment.

Sure, I've seen a dismaying number of folks who would try to slip out on cleaning their weapons after a qualification or training session. "But I'll clean it at home, honest!" My inclination was to respond, "Fine, you can do that after you do it here first before you leave".

Some of them were successful when it came to avoiding cleaning their weapons, though, as sometimes became apparent.

I knew of more than one cop who found themselves at the scene of a shooting where someone died, and having a dirty service weapon in their possession made for some extra work so the lab could exclude their weapons as being involved. (Imagine the potentially sticky situation if the bullets responsible for the death couldn't be recovered at the scene, though.) As you might expect, the point was made that their service weapons would be cleaned after each qualification session thenceforth. ;)

On the other hand, there's the other end of the extreme in way of the folks who are somewhat over-zealous and enthusiastic about cleaning & lubricating their weapons ... but who don't really have a clue how to do it properly. Happily and industriously 'cleaning away' and ending up with different problematic conditions, such as things that shouldn't be lubricated and are lubricated. :rolleyes: ... Any opening in the weapon is treated like a zerk fitting. :eek: ... Slathering on solvent & lubricants as if they were washing a car without any concern for the liquids traveling into places that shouldn't be filled with excessive (or any) amounts of solvent or even be lubricated. :confused:

Detail stripping and delousing a K9 handler's weapon who may be somewhat 'less than casually interested' in proper weapon maintenance can be an experience. I always wanted to know where they kept that green-haired woolly mammoth responsible for all the green, hairy grunge, fur balls and congealed dog breath & saliva which accumulated inside the weapons.

Service weapons can get their assortment of dings, dents, scrapes, nicks, scratches, gouges, unidentified stains/discolorations and generally puzzling cosmetic additions, no question about it. Holster wear and personal body chemistry/acidic etching can be the least of the rigors to which they're subjected, too.

Why won't some folks report when their weapons are submerged in water???

Bottom line? I've had to correct fouling & improper user-related maintenance conditions that actually caused failures-to-function and even outright failures-to-fire when folks came through qualification ranges and discovered their weapons wouldn't function well or even fire. (Yes, they were usually coming in 'off the street' with it in that condition, albeit unknowingly).

No matter the fuss made, the cautionary logic presented, the resulting functioning issues resulting from neglect of maintenance or even administrative requirements (and potential disciplinary action) for failing to provide required user cleaning & maintenance ... some folks just aren't interested in taking care of their service weapons and find ways to get around doing so.

Somewhere in between those who neglect weapons, and those who think they know how to clean & maintain them better than the manufacturers who made them (but cause their own brand of problems while doing so) ... there's the middle ground of folks who follow the basic care & maintenance instructions they're given or learn at some point (and who actually bother to read an owner manual), or at least think to stop and ask for help if they're not sure about how to properly detail-strip, clean and lubricate their weapons.

And yes, it's always a pleasure when someone presents an issued weapon which has been properly and carefully maintained, and that person demonstrates an obvious understanding of why it's important to maintain service weapons so they're always ready to function in an optimal manner when needed.

I remember when I was a new cop and was told that issued weapons would not be accepted when turned in (for repair, exchange, etc.) unless they were clean and appeared properly maintained. The equipment officer would reject dirty & improperly maintained weapons and send folks away to go clean them before they could be turned in. Folks grumped about it then, too. ;) Funny thing is, though, they didn't complain about being handed weapons in clean, lubricated and properly working condition ...

Just my thoughts ...
 
"...do all cops treat their guns like crap?..." Most cops don't think about their service piece as anything but something heavy they have to lug around. The days of cops being 'firearms' guys/users are long over. Most of 'em are good guys, but most never saw a real firearm prior to getting hired. A degree has become more important.
 
Of course, each and every cop is an exact cookie cutter copy of every other cop and all conform to the same negative stereotypes that are based on each of our own limited impressions of them.

You forgot to mention the negative stereotypes about hide-bound revolver bulleye shooter, pseudo-macho tacticool auto-loader shooters, tinfoil hat EBR collectors, and mall-ninja security guards.

Only lever-action shooting hunters are normal -- and they are weird if they aren't fly fishermen too.
 
There's been some good comment on this, and a couple of great stories to boot! ;)

It's been my experience that cops tend to fall into a number of categories;
the ego types who think that carrying a firearm means they can treat people like dirt, and wearing the firearm makes them king of the streets (fortunately a very small minority); the firearms enthusiast, who looks after their equipment well and takes it seriously; the everyday cop to whom it's just another piece of gear to carry on their belt (probably the largest category here); the desk jockeys / house mouse types who only touch their firearm to qualify and don't even know where their holster is; and those who don't want to have anything to do with a firearm at all, and will find hundreds of excuses not to qualify with or carry their duty weapon.

Our standard service weapon is the Glock 22, and I know the armourers have some horror stories about the condition that the pistols are taken to the armoury in. ANd yeah - we only qualify once a year as well.

I believe that cleaning your firearm should be done every time you use it, regardless of if it's a target pistol used indoor or your duty weapon. If you're going to be away from it for a long time, give it a good going over before you store it - you might need it as soon as you return.
 
I was showing some other Coppers my whiz bang XD45 and I was kept hopping to keep my gun from being pointed at me :eek:. I told him to use a little muzzle awareness and he had no clue. Point is, some Coppers don't have a clue.
 
As a Firefighter/Paramedic I work with a lot of cops from many different size departments. There does seem to be a difference in the way many guys treat their guns but it isn't just confined to side arms. You see the condition of their car and uniform and the way they handle themselves on calls. I've never understood the cops that don't take a great interest in guns. The gun is the one tool in your tool box that can make the difference in how you end the shift. As a Paramedic in one of the busiest areas in the Northwest I have many tools that I use daily, check daily. I work for one of the most respected and imitated departments in the world. We have the highest cardiac arrest save rate on the planet (close to 50%) and we lead the world in medical studies and all major areas of pre-hospital medicine. We are the the best because of our training. Our requirements to maintain certification are 5 times greater than most departments, not just here in the US but world wide. We get paid a pretty good wage to do our job and we take pride in everything that we do (can't you hear the humility in my typing?) I think a lot of the cops are not supported well enough by their administration and they are over worked and under paid and it sometimes shows in how they care for their gear. I would be terrified to be a cop, to put that target on my back knowing that the bad guy or the average guy with a CWP in his wallet has a better chance of using his gun without experiencing a backlash from the community, possibly losing his job, being sued. So to answer the original question I'd say probably not. Sorry, I kinda rambled on a bit!
 
Noobieshooter.
I beg to differ,You are not the best trained medics in the country.WA state has put emphasis on cardiac care for medics that's it.Not everybody dies from cardiac arrest.Most everything new in EMS comes out of Prince George CO. in Virginia.Read your J.E.M.S.I spent 28 years as FF/PM I do not recall ever having anyone from WA state coming and teaching any of the Medic/FF skills anywhere in CA.
The most copied F.D. in the world is not in WA state,try Phoenix.LA Co.NYC and a few others.Your wildland firefighting program comes from CA.as does everyone else's.As for pay no Fire Dept in WA is in the top 10.
Sorry could not let this go unrefuted.
 
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Longranger, I think you were a little hard on Noobie. WA State is by no means backwards. Might not have made the top ten in pay. I would think CA has that pretty well wrapped up. You are right, not all die from cardo, but there are a number of people who do. Who gives a rip where some idea comes from, but rather how well it's put to use. As a LEO I'm glad when our Ambulance people show up. I know the injured are going to get great care. This is the real bottom line.

I don't take as good of care of my side arm now after 17 years as I did when I was a little younger. I am a high power shooter (master) and won't let things get too far out of hand when it comes to cleaning. My duty pistol is a G-35 which is mine. It doesn't look new any more with the holster wear, but I keep it clean enough to do what it needs to do when I need it. I keep my had cuffs in good working order as I use those more than I do the pistol.

Before I bought the G-35, I carried a Springer 1911. I took it out of service because the once pretty blued 1911 looked like it had been thrown around the inside of a pickup floor. The 1911 still shoots and runs well. It eats everything I run though it. The Glock also has some holster wear but then who cares about a Glock?
 
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do all cops treat their guns like crap?

No. I, for one, clean my service weapon at least once a month. If I have to qualify with it or shoot it for practice, I clean it right after I shoot, right there at the range; our department offers all kinds of q-tips, bore pads, rods, brushes, rods, CLP, etc.

About the condition of the guns you saw...you have to understand that the type of weapon a police officer gets issued (at least in our department) is not always the best one. Some officers get brand new guns and some get old ones; As long as the gun passes inspection, it has to be in service. I, unfortunately, got issued an old gun that must have been in service over 10 years before I got it, but it works like a charm. My service pistol has NEVER jammed or malfunctioned (I hope I didn't just jynx myself), but I guess that is due to my proper maintenance.

If I EVER EVER see another officer with an improperly maintained weapon, I WILL say something about it. Have I seen another officer with crappy maintenance habits? Yes. Do they always listen to me? No.

Not all cops are all that smart either; very ignorant and stubborn with the stupid "Oh it'll be alright" vibes. Police, just like sheep, come in all different mindsets and attitudes. To each thier own..

This may sound cold, but the lazy SOBs and ignorant fool officers that do not properly maintain thier equipment are the SOBs and ignorant fool officers that get killed in the line of duty. A dirty and in-operative weapon is one of the top 5 reasons a police officer is killed in the line of duty. :mad:
 
Yep.
Two plain clothes cops came into the shop, long ago. Revolvers only in those days. One was looking to change his grips(the only thing they were allowed to do). The other guy decides he'll buy a set too. Reaches for his piece. Had the holster on, but no gun. His partner went ballistic.
Same scenario, one guy. Goes to unload so the grips could be put on. The revolver was rusted shut.
Buddy of mine's brother was a cop, very long ago. He told me, he and his partner got assigned to 'The Bank Car'(only one with a pump shotgun then), one day. Neither one of 'em knew how to load it.
Rolled into the range one evening. Everybody is atwitter. Somebody had left a Glock with ammo and mags on one of the shooting positions. Called the locals to come pick it up. Took 5 minutes to explain to the guy who showed up what happened and that he had to take it. Found out later it had been left by a cop who had been shooting, alone, sometime in the afternoon.
Shot ISU(ISSF now) with them. Some of 'em would show up with just their service revolver with fixed sights. We beat them regularly. Even in their own, tax payer built, poor lighting(flourescent light is horrible), range.
 
Being a active Marine many many years ago, i have a few compulsion, they are... Foot-ware, tailored clothes, haircut, and cleaning my weapon after shooting, and keeping it clean.

Cops are not necessarily GUN enthuses, i was.
 
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