The Chicago Police Dept & their S&W revolvers

[Dogmann]

I was wondering if there were any "Old Timers " from the CPD here on the forum.... what revolvers did you guys carry and in what holsters? Pics would be great!

 

[moosedog]

Where's Renko or Bobby Hill when you need them?

The show, Hill Street Blues" showed them with model 10s. I had a chance to buy one of the shows "prop guns" in the 90s when I was flat broke and passed on it. Another of lifes regrets.

 

[Texas Star]

I believe that they had a pretty wide range of S&W .38 or .357 models.

Hill St. Blues was made by a New Yorker who probably only knew NYPD guns and had them in the prop assortment, I bet. Many producers are so NYC oriented and anti-gun that they wouldn't have done any research.
Most probably think that only cops and soldiers should have guns.

 

[sheriffoconee]

In 1991 I flew up there to hunt a fugitive....took 3 days to find him....I saw almost every conceivable handgun imaginable and available at the time....one guy I worked with carried a 4 inch Smith 19 in a shoulder holster and a 1911 on his hip......that sorta stuck out in my mind.....

I was an investigator from Northeast GA, and I had been to several big cities huntin' bad guys, Atlanta a lot, Oakland, San Francisco......but I ain't seen NOTHING like the fugitive squad up there.....but they treated me like royalty....the Lt asked me every day if they were taking care of me.....but everywhere we went reminded me of pictures I had seen of Dresden AFTER the bombing.....

 

[moosedog]

Actually, I thought Steven Bochco did a good job of catching the "flavor" of the big city departments.
Most big cities went with S&W and Colts in K frame sized revolvers in 38 spl.
Some like Detroit, allowed you to carry a 38cal or larger S&W or Colt, privately owned revolver once it was department approved and you qualitfied with it. I would think it may have been similiar there. Just a guess.
I'm sure we have a few ex Chicago Police Officers that cruise this site.

 

[safearm]

I worked in the Chicago 'burbs (started in 1978) and many of our guys either came from CPD or went there later. Recruits had to buy their own guns; everyone I knew went with the Model 10 (today, recruits have to buy and carry the Glock 17) until after they were off probation, then the Model 19 or 66 (if you could find them) became the gun of choice. Some guys carried Colt Troopers or Pythons, but the duty gun had to be a revolver capable of shooting the city-issued ammo, WW 158 grain LSWCHP+P, the same stuff we carried in our issue M15s. Back-up guns could be anything, hence you would see guys in uniform carrying a Model 10 on a duty belt (that's never taken out of the holster) and a M29 or 1911 "back-up" gun.

 

[whitecoyote]

Where's Renko or Bobby Hill when you need them?

The show, Hill Street Blues" showed them with model 10s. I had a chance to buy one of the shows "prop guns" in the 90s when I was flat broke and passed on it. Another of lifes regrets.

If you had asked, I would have spotted you some green backs.

 

[xray 99]

I remember seeing a photo of a Chicago cop carrying the mandatory Model 15 in a swivel holster and a Model 59 high on his right hip.

 

[gunnut44]

I seen a couple older cops around xmas on Michigan Ave. carrying revolvers. The one looked like a 6" 66 the other was a 4" 15. Kinda cool but that was Michigan Ave. not Englewood!

 

[kaaskop49]

I have seen 1960s photos of CPD officers carrying N-frame .357s in a Jordan-type Border Patrol rig.