Ambassador, with due respect your're wrong about the whole deal. The discounts (for the individuals listed below) are for those purchasing weapons with their personal funds, no tax dollars are involved. This includes rifles, shotguns, and ammo. Many agencies authorize these weapons but do not issue or reimburse the officers for their purchase. Sometimes this extends to ammo as well.
Sometimes the weapons are not for duty use, but for off duty, CCDW, home defense, etc. but are still purchased witout tax dollars. The price on those guns and ammo includes Federal Excise Tax (FET) which would not be applied if the items were being purchased by agencies using tax dollars. Agencies get lower pricing than those listed below because they do not pay FET.
This is from Bud's Police Supply web Site:
Who qualifies for the S&W LE Discount?
More individuals qualify to buy S&W items at the discounted LE price. Those who qualify include:
Active Military personnel - all branches
Retired Military personnel - all branches
National Guard personnel - all branches
Military Reserve personnel - all branches
Fire Fighters - including volunteers
Paramedics and EMTs
TSA Employees
Commercial Pilots
Federal Flight Deck Officers
Court Judges
District and Deputy District Attorneys
All sworn Law Enforcement Officers - city, county, state, and federal
All retired Law Enforcement Officers - city, county, state, and federal
All Corrections Officers
State Licensed Security Companies
