Law enforcement using handguns with optics?

[Farmer17]

My nephew is a police chief for a small city and told me they had just purchased new long barrel Glock 34s with Trijicon Optic sights for all officers and the small Glock 48 with the same Optic for off duty. These optic sights cost the city over $500 each and he was surprised the City Manger would approve such expensive hardware but said the average cop's accuracy is improving 25% and cops don't have to concentrate and focus on lining up the sights. They can focus on the target and see if he has dropped his weapon before they fire, minimizing shooting an unarmed person and saving huge amounts of money in legal fees and judgements. Just wondering if many other LE were changing to optics?

 

[shell627]

I don’t know about depts but I have been using a Glock 17’with slide cut by Suarez. I use a Trijicon rmr and I have been carrying that combo for 3 years at work.I showed up for qualification one day and shot with it.Training Lt’s only comment on it was how did I like it and other officers were asking about red dots.

 

[Screwball]

CBP made optics ready a requirement for their solicitation… which resulted in me having a 19 Gen 5 MOS on my duty belt.

I think they felt it was definitely something that will become beneficial in L/E. However, since we are not allowed to mount a red dot on the guns yet… I guess the time isn’t right now for us.

But I do believe CBP is looking (I remember seeing it published somewhere) for a red dot that uses the MOS cut, has a battery that doesn’t require the red dot to be pulled off the gun for replacement, and supposedly cowitness with the irons. If a manufacturer makes that, will definitely be an awesome addition for people to consider.

 

[Trooper224]

Red dots are the future of handgun sights in LE and military context. Within the decade they'll become standard issue, just as RDs on rifles have become. Today, if you're working in those occupations and don't have one on your rifle, you're way behind the curve. It'll be the same for handguns before long.

 

[9mmPatriot]

Seen a few deputies carrying sidearms with an optic.

Not a LEO but I have one on my EDC.

 

[GB]

I guess anything that reduces the round count ,of shots fired, is a good thing.

I know that I am from the stone age but I wish that they would spend more time teaching new officers that the firearm is the LAST tool to use and not the first. Back in the day, I taught people how to shoot so that they could decide IF they really needed to shoot. Sadly, it doesn't seem to work that way anymore.

 

[Toyman]

My son is a Las Vegas Metro officer and is a full time firearms instructor. He has been using a red dot on his duty gun and on one of his off duty guns.
He has been instructing officers on the use of red dots for over 5 years.
He has given instructions in the red dot to other agencies.

 

[Doug M.]

Most of the deputies at my client agency have moved to RDS. Performance has improved in all ways.

As a side note: American LE kills (and wounds) a tiny percentage of the population, and also a tiny percentage of the violent offenders who present a potentially lethal threat to them and others. The discourse on force is completely wrong and to an extent that I have to believe it to be intentional. LE killings could go up by 15-20 times and not be excessive. A reasonably close review of the data on assaults on officers each year and comparison to the number of people killed (about 1000) and wounded (about 2000) makes that crystal clear.

 

[waffles]

Have one on my carry pistol, the main issue I'm getting used to is different brightness needs between high-light (see: outdoors at noon in the mountains) vs low/indoor light. With decent auto-adjust on an exposed pistol (like on a duty belt rather than under a shirt) this is a non-issue, and the dot presents both a speed and precision advantage.

We're still at a point where I get the reservations about them, but they are the future, and if you're buying a purely practical pistol these days the ability to mount a dot is up there with a light rail as a must. Use it or not, the tech is already usable and getting better.

 

[VictorLouis]

My local Blue Crew was in good martial form here..

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A93TYmptSI&t=305s[/ame]

the officer used a Sig P320 w/RMR

 

[waffles]

My local Blue Crew was in good martial form here..

Phoenix Officer Runs Into A Restaurant And Ends The Threat - YouTube

the officer used a Sig P320 w/RMR

Worked out, but that was a contact distance mag dump, don't think the sighting system mattered a whole lot.

e: watching again his first two shots, the likely aimed ones, appear to have missed anyways.

 

[UncleEd]

First I have no experience with
Red Dot.

But I have heard it said it is
questionable at short distance,
under 10 yards, when the
action is fast and furious.

Considering how seldom if ever
a LEO needs or uses his gun,
I wonder about maintenance and
upkeep of an electronic system.
Also a lot of LEO firearms take a
heck of beating just day to day
in the holster as the daily duties
call upon the officers.

 

[Ethang]

My son is a Las Vegas Metro officer and is a full time firearms instructor. He has been using a red dot on his duty gun and on one of his off duty guns.
He has been instructing officers on the use of red dots for over 5 years.
He has given instructions in the red dot to other agencies.

Sent you a PM

 

[Ethang]

I too believe this will be the future of LE handguns in the next 10 years. There is a number of large departments either issuing, authorizing or working on it now. The same thing happened with red dots on rifles. Opposition at first, but the benefits become obvious when you start working with them.

 

[Trooper224]

First I have no experience with
Red Dot.

And yet you have an opinion.

But I have heard it said it is
questionable at short distance,
under 10 yards, when the
action is fast and furious.

This is incorrect. An RD sight is viable at any range.

Considering how seldom if ever
a LEO needs or uses his gun,
I wonder about maintenance and
upkeep of an electronic system.
Also a lot of LEO firearms take a
heck of beating just day to day
in the holster as the daily duties
call upon the officers.

Frequency of use doesn't dictate importance. Consequences of use do. There are many tools used on a daily basis by LEOs all over this country that are far more complicated than a red dot sight. Are you suggesting we send them out naked because things get knocked around? Quality red dots aren't fragile.

 

[sigp220.45]

As an old fart, I consider the acceptance of red dots to be a good thing.

My guns have all adopted blurry sights. Not sure when they did that.

I see a red dot in my future.

 

[Doug M.]

^^ First priority for RDS issue at my client agency is deputies over 40. ^^
There is a reason for that.

 

[Truckman]

Departments local to me are qualifying deputies for optics......Ben

 

[Beemerguy53]

...I know that I am from the stone age but I wish that they would spend more time teaching new officers that the firearm is the LAST tool to use and not the first. Back in the day, I taught people how to shoot so that they could decide IF they really needed to shoot...

A friend of mine started his law enforcement career the same year I started my fire service career...1974. When he was still relatively new to the profession, he responded to a domestic, walked into a house, and was face-to-face with an angry man holding a gun on his wife. My friend succeeded in talking the guy into putting the gun down and surrendering. Not a shot was fired by anyone, and no force was used. Of course, he was commended for his actions...

 

[Doug M.]

Just because a bad tactic worked does not make it a good tactic. Some people can be talked to. Some can't. If I am ever in a hostage situation, I want the hostage taker's head turned into a pink mist with alacrity.