kbm6893 got to ask where those all new guns or a mix of new and used? And was the price retail or a reduced price? To be honest that sounds like the screwiest thing I can think of.

I've heard of departments requiring officers to purchase guns and I've heard of department issuing a duty weapon but I've never heard of a department providing a weapon which the officer had to purchase from the department itself.

Did NYPD at some time go away from the purchase and ownership policy to a department owned issue weapon? Is that why the old timers are being forced to switch to autos? In LAPD your issued duty weapon is the same no matter what. We've never forced anyone to change duties weapons but they can buy and switch to another if they pass the class. If you have 35 years on the job and report your Model 15 was destroyed in a house fire you'd be issued another Model 15. This is regardless of whatever you've bought and carry at that time.