Popular (department selected) Police handguns

My question is if the cost and politics of a department buy weren't an issue, what gun would the beat cops pick?

I'm not a cop, but I think if it was up to personal preference, it would depend a lot on the individual officer, and you'd have a lot of different answers.

In my mind, it wouldn't be much different than selecting your CCW (of course, adding your cost not being an issue part) with a few differences. It needs to be reliable (#1) and accurate. Where it differs, no need to care about concealment. So, for me (if I were a cop in a department that will buy you whatever you want), a CZ 75B or 75BD would be high on my list since I shoot CZs very well. Add that they need to be common so your department armorers likely know the gun so you don't need to go outside (i.e. probably on your dime) for maintenance and repairs. So, replace the CZ for a SIG (probably 229) or M&P for me (I shoot my 1st gen M&P40c very well). I might go 1911, but personally, capacity would also be high on my list (so only double stack 9mm and .40S&W for me). I'd probably also add the Beretta 92 to my list (though I don't have much experience with one at this time, so with the disclaimer that I'd revisit if needed if I wasn't accurate enough with it). It would be nice if there was a compact version in order to essentially have a smaller version of the same gun for concealed off-duty carry (luckily, I'm fine with a service compact gun - CZ 75Compact/P01/PCR, SIG P229 sized gun - and all my list have such a compact version, heck, if I was a cop in a department that let you carry what you want, I might just go with the compact version, but full size mags for spare mags, to have the minimum transition).
 
Last edited:
Back
Top