I have several Glocks, the wife has one of her own! I use mine for hunting and CC. I choose my holsters carefully. I always carry with one in the chamber. (empty chamber aint much good when the SHTF!) Never had a problem. I use a serpa retention holster when hunting with my G20. Uncle Mikes Hip holster for CC under a vest or jacket.
I also have several 1911's, I prefer the glock for CC as its ready to go NOW! Not after you click off your safety and hope in a panic the grip saftey is properly engaged. Back in the day cops and whoever were haveing the grip safteys deactivated as they dicovered its a royal pain when the SHTF!

Welcome aboard Scrounge: Pull up a stool, grab one of Vince's beers and stay awhile.

scrounge,
Welcome to the Forum. All the best...
Gil

Vince wrote:

I am not sure about the Rules and Regulations of Police Departments in the US or Canada, but over here in Australia, you are allowed to carry only the issue sidearm, which in the majority of cases is a Glock of various models, depending on the State. There is only one way to deal with the problem that this post highlights... training, training, training. This training must include the maintenance of ones accoutrements such as belt,HOLSTER, baton, handcuffs etc. When an item is showing signs of being unsafe, or failing through use, then it must be replaced. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure this happens as a matter of urgency. This is how it works in the Army over here and it is a good system that allows a soldier to keep his kit in good serviceable order and ready for use at all times. It is a simple "one for one" swap. A Police Officer is no different...he must keep his "tools of trade" functional and serviceable in order to be 100% capable of doing his job. If the various Police Departments cannot afford to provide these items, and this would only apply to items such as belts, holsters and pouches, then the Officer himself should purchase the item. The Officer can then claim it on his tax as a necessary expenditure in the course of earning his taxable income. Cheers, Vince

You're spot on there Vince with your assessment but remember that in some police departments in the US the officer must supply their own sidearm. You pick out what weapon you want and the department orders it and you repay the department back for it. Thats where you get some with 357Sig and others with a free for all and no common calibre in the department. That would suck!
Now in Canada I believe that this practice has been done away with and the department supplies the sidearm and has ownership of it. There maybe some small departments or town constables that supply their own sidearm but that would be few and far between. Some guys had a main pistol and an ankle revolver as a backup.
My department (DFO), started standardizing side arms etc for the officers only ten years ago.
Our guys carried everything from a snub Smith and Wesson .38 to 460s or 10mm Bren. Our rifles were everything from 22-250s to 444 Marlins and a couple of 416 Rigbys. Talk about overkill! The RCMP for instance, usually has one member per shift that carries a taser in addition to their regular sidearm and gear. This guy in question should get at least a written reprimand and or suspension In the military we all carried our assigned weapon and yes it was muscle memory for ALL weapons and systems and we have the luxury of DXing unserviceable gear.
Armies are Armies. DX = direct exchange one for one

They had the odd one or two guys over here who had their choice as to what they carried...but they were usually in the SWAT side of the PD, but that has changed now.

I cannot for love nor money understand why a PD would allow a mish mash of firearms...there is no standardisation, which means if need be, you cannot share ammo with your mate if one of your runs low, and if your firearm goes belly up for some reason, you might end up trying to do your job with a firearm that you are not familiar with...a nasty situation. Every PD must issue a standard firearm to their Officers, that way everyone qualifies on the same firearm and is familiar with it...and ammo is also standard. Would also make the administrative side of things easier too...especially in event of a shooting...no arguments about non standard ammo. Other than the standard issue rifle carried by, or available to, selected trained members, they should not have different calibre rifles for the same reason as the sidearm.

Tazers are carried by at least one Officer in each two man crew, but they must be trained in its deployment and use. All Officers carry OC spray.

Cheers, Vince

Our standard is to carry OC spray, handcuffs, 2 mags of 15rds, asp baton, high intensity flashlight w/w/o strobe, tactical body armour (the heavy stuff), gerber tool and knife (usually a rescue type) 2 handcuff keys and sidearm with full mag. Notebook and pen, and then your pinch kit with ALL the rest of the stuff, cameras measuring wheel, handtools evidence bags etc.

The Aussies carry pretty much the same things mate, although some if it is held in the boot of the vehicle unless needed.

Cheers, Vince

New Zealand Perspective:
We have Glocks, M4s and Tasers
We carry 9mm Glock 19s 2 x mags, Pepper Spray, ASP Batons, Cuffs, Personal protection kits, Radio, most of us carry a multitool even though the dept doesn't like it, My holster rig is a Safarilands Category 3 retention holster and this is all attached to a large belt onto our Stab resistant body armour. All up 10 kg which in the summer is a bitch, but I feel naked without it now.
We get training evry 9 months with our firearms Glock and M4, our training isn't smart just point and shoot series at targets. The Taser requalification is once a year pass/fail.

As a shift manager I can pick and choose when I carry, my staff have to get their fireorders from me and I give a general order at lineup over taser carriage and use.

While I can understand anyone's concern over an AD from a Glock, I do believe there are very valid reasons that the majority of American law enforcement departments have authorized their use. I've owned quite a few 1911s including Colts, Paras and Springers, but I carry .40 S&W Glocks.
Don

radar wrote:

New Zealand Perspective: We have Glocks, M4s and Tasers We carry 9mm Glock 19s 2 x mags, Pepper Spray, ASP Batons, Cuffs, Personal protection kits, Radio, most of us carry a multitool even though the dept doesn't like it, My holster rig is a Safarilands Category 3 retention holster and this is all attached to a large belt onto our Stab resistant body armour. All up 10 kg which in the summer is a bitch, but I feel naked without it now. We get training evry 9 months with our firearms Glock and M4, our training isn't smart just point and shoot series at targets. The Taser requalification is once a year pass/fail. As a shift manager I can pick and choose when I carry, my staff have to get their fireorders from me and I give a general order at lineup over taser carriage and use.

I forgot to also say that the department standard is to have the trauma plate in the body armour and we must use the level three retention duty issue holster like you said Radar. We also have HK3 in 9mm and silenced 30 cal rifles and then the 50 Browning when we really want to make a point. LOL

Just read in Military Times about the Swiss retiring their Sigs and adopting Glocks as their Special Forces Duty Weapon.
militarytimes.com/blog...7-and-g19/

Good read there BB