Do SWAT teams or police use automatic weapons?

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And most LEOs can't. They proof when competing.

"Well duh, their training is a little different. Most civilian shooters probably wouldn't fair well in police scenario training."

I am a LEO, and I would strongly disagree with your opinion there... Most police training takes place on a static line with a target x yards away, and you shoot it. Some more progressive agencies shoot combat courses and have better programs that COULD make cops better shooters, but most don't really care to be a good shot.
On the other hand, I have shot a couple of IDPA demo's (I can't compete because of my crappy shift) and did very well, and I will be the first to say that the type scenario's encountered in IDPA are very similar to what a LEO could be faced with. (Multiple targets, moving targets, SHOT PLACEMENT, etc.) You just have to keep in mind that IDPA is a game. There is nothing wrong with shooting those scenarios with a "tactical" mindset instead of a fast, fast, fast, win the game mindset.
 
Well, I was a deputy sheriff for a while and I will tell you right now that if some of the police and deputies I was with on the range ever get hold of an auto weapon, I want to be two states over! When they can't hit a B-29 at 7 yards with the issue handgun, I sure don't want them waving an MP5 around.

I could tell tales, but this is Halloween and scary enough.

Jim
 
I seem to recall reading a few articles about the Glock 18 and a couple of other well known select fire guns and they said that very rigorous training and qualification was necessary before one could carry them. The 18 in particular they were saying that you'd have to shoot Expert with the 17 first before they'd let you lay a finger on it. Something with that kind of cyclic rate in that small a package = instant LIABILITY in less that perfectly capable hands.

Is that still the case?
 
Yeah, probably

9mm1033 said:
Most civilian shooters probably wouldn't fair well in police scenario training.
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Including most civilian police. I don't think the original question pertained to military units, though.

Civilian police agencies seldom have budgets that allows for extensive training with full automatic weapons for the rank and file - - Even the patrol units. Tactical units, SWAT teams, perhaps a couple of other specialized units may have sufficient ammo available to PROPERLY train their personnel in use of full auto fire.

The vast majority of civilian cops who have NOT been assigned to TAC, and who are really proficient with full auto either got training elsewhere or are hobbyists who have provided a LOT of their own ammo. - - And quite often their own machine gun, as well.
 
The SWAT team I work with carry suppressed MP5s & 1911s. Were are picking up 2 FA M16/M4s. If I were to carry a rifle it would be a 10inch M4. Don't trust 9mm with all the armor out there. JMHO
 
We rotate M16/M4s throughout the department. We are trained with them on semi, never auto. They said the auto's are cheaper than the Army's version of the M4 with 3 round bursts, which is why they get auto's. Weird, you'd think auto's were more expensive. :confused:
 
The cops I have trained are all issued fully automatic weapons. Of course, I've been training Afghan cops for the last year and a half, and their standard issue is one of several AK subtypes.

I have been told, but have not confirmed, that some, if not all, of the officers in one of my neighboring suburbs (Tigard, OR) carry MP-5s in the trunks. Semi-auto only unless a SGT or above unlocks the auto setting with some sort of a key that resembles a handcuff key. This is anecdotal only, though, not sure how reliable the information is.
 
I've actually interviewed (long story,gunsmithing project) the Glock armorer and Emegency Response Team (the local SWAT equivelent) member, and they are actually using Single Fire Only MP5s, because keeping anything else around or in patrol cars is too much of a security risk. They did have a few psuedo M4s (modified M16s bought from the national guard) that were full auto, but honestly it seemed unnecessary.

P.S. Im in Minneapolis.
 
not here, all regular cops carry glocks or 1911's with shottys in the cars, i did some ride alongs to see if it was something i wanted to do. Our SWAT teams probably do though.
 
The Colt 635 is a great gun!

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I have a hard time imagining how LE would ever need full-auto fire rather than rapid semi-auto, especially since those in LE who have access to such weapons almost always outnumber their opponents and have heavy body armor to boot. Under such circumstances, is it really necessary to be able to shoot at a rate of 10-15 rounds per second (even in short bursts) rather than 5-6 rounds per second on semi? (Okay, I can see how the stopping power of a 9mm MP5 is helped by the auto capability.)

I'd also think that liability from stray rounds would be an issue, although I'm not sure how often SWAT teams get punished or successfully sued for anything they do. In any case, I cringe at the thought of police using suppressive fire or "spray & pray" in populated areas.

In any case, I have no real problem with police having auto weapons as long as they're used carefully and responsibly. I do have a problem with the general citizenry not being able to buy new auto weapons. This restriction is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment, which is meant to keep ultimate power in the hands of the general population instead of the government.

I've shot full-auto weapons and don't feel that they're indispensable at all (especially rifles), but these laws are still intended to keep the population under control, and that goes against everything this country was meant to stand for.
 
Scriz said:
We rotate M16/M4s throughout the department. We are trained with them on semi, never auto. They said the auto's are cheaper than the Army's version of the M4 with 3 round bursts, which is why they get auto's. Weird, you'd think auto's were more expensive.
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I didn't know 3-round burst models were more expensive than full autos, but if they are, it could be because the trigger mechanism in the burst model is a little more intricate.

There really isn't that much difference between a full-auto M16 and a semi-only AR-15, so I would expect the prices on those to be almost identical.
 
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