Worst Issued Equipment

[xray97]

Boy some of these posts bring back early memories in L.E. The fumes coming up through the rotted floorboards and the headaches I can relate to. Had an old Ford with a 428 ci motor. Thing could fly but it took several blocks to stop after speeder in front pulled over. Had sirens back then but they worked in conjunction with the horn. Had a switch on the dash. Switch down horn worked. Switch up you then pushed the horn and the siren would start winding up. Had good quality weapons/leather because Officers had to supply their own. Radar units were hugh and hung on the rear door window. I know some of you remember those?

Ahh yes, " moving radar". I think the department had two of those. One for patrol to share and one permanently assigned to the one man "traffic unit". I'd forgotten about the oversized "cone" that hung on the rear window. Truly cutting edge equipment! I went to the academy in Seattle and their vehicles that we used for EVOC had the wail siren built into the horn on the steering wheel. Those were the days!

 

[amazingflapjack]

the M-16

Flapjack.

 

[Fishinfool]

1983, working for an un-named state police dept. Met another trooper at a local off ramp dinner for supper. About fifteen minutes into our meal, a guy runs in and yells "Your cop car is on fire". Figured I had fifty fifty odds on that one as we ran to the door. Yep, it was my car, fully engulfed. The other trooper thought it was funny, for about five seconds, until his car, parked next to mine, also started burning.

He was able to get his pulled away from mine, and we put it out with fire extinguishers, but mine was toast. Turns out certian Crown Vic's had problems with fuel leaking onto the exhaust manifolds...

Larry

 

[BaldEagle1313]

Had an old Ford with a 428 ci motor. Thing could fly but it took several blocks to stop...

Now that's a high school memory for me. Guy I knew had a supposedly ex-WSP '68 Galaxie with a 428. It was geared for highway so it wasn't that quick off the line due to the weight and gearing, but once it got moving it GOT MOVING. Dark blue, dog dish hubcaps, didn't look like anything special. But going up a freeway on-ramp and getting up to speed the only one of us who could keep up had a 427 Camaro.

 

[4506517]

M&P 45 full size. Im on my second one, other guys are on their 3rd or 4th.

 

[jimmyj]

Uhhh, Jimmy, I think someone upstairs is trying to tell you something. Are you sure this job is gonna be worth it?

It took me from 1962 to 2007 to figger that maybe I should have listen to my Mother and stayed in the Military (1955-1962).

Interesting I left a City Police Department to become a rural county deputy.
At the City P.D my issue weapons were a 6" blue Colt Python .357, a Colt nickeled Cobra .38spl., a Remington M870 12ga, and a Remington M760 .30/06. Patrol vehicle Ford Crown Vic.

In this era L.E. Agencies could draw weapons from Miami-Dade's confiscated weapons which had impressive weapons.

The last three years of my career I had nine surgeries, four artifical joints installed from an on duty incident.
Guys, sometimes Mothers know best.
Would I do it again-- DARN RIGHT!
I would still be patroling the streets but the Agency felt that with the with the medical issues and being almost 71 yoa COMPULSEARY RETIREMENT was the order of the day.
Retirement Party with a new car, badge and service pistol and so long Jimmy.

 

[Toyman]

Went to work for a sheriff's department in central Iowa 1973. Was issued a tired 1971 Ford that had power brakes added after market and never worked right. It had a Federal light bar with the lights on either end and a place for a siren speaker in middle of the bar. But we did not have eletronic sirens so the bar vibrated when driving making a terriable noise in the vehicle. I bought a rubber hammer and broke off the handle putting the rubber head under the bar stopping the noise. First winter had to wear the winter coat of previous deputy who was much bigger that I am. Provided my own guns.

 

[monet61]

Accepting a Patrol Deputy position with a small rural county sheriffs department, after being sworn in I was issued weapons from the armory.
1. S&W Model 19 4" blued
2. Colt Model 1911A1 .45acp
3. Marlin Model 336 .30/30
4. Remington Model 870 12ga w/ 18" barrel.

After drawing service ammo I went to the range to test fire the weapons.
1. S&W M19 - rear sight elevation screw disappeared never to be located.
2. Colt M1911A1 - jammed and ejector broke
3. Marlin M336 - rear sight fell off
4. Rem. M870 - stock split at the hand grip.

Returning the issued weapons to the armory I obtained permission to use my personel weapons.

On the way home in my patrol car the radiator hose blew.

Can you say "BAD JO JO?

RUN! Run for your life!

 

[gunblade]

One time over in Saudi I had to check out a vehicle for some reason or another, and the only thing I could get was a duece & 1/2 with the driver's side door missing. That wasn't so bad but once I got going I found out the driver's side seat wasn't bolted down...sort of just sitting there. It was a wild ride.

 

[Smith357]

The M-16a1 I was issued was the biggest hunk-o-junk I have ever had the displeasure of using. It jammed all the time and was a major pain to keep clean. It left a bad taste in my mouth for the whole AR platform. I realize all the bugs have been worked out over the last 30 years and it is now a fine system, but I just can't bring myself to trust them.

 

[Frizzman]

1. Issued first M10 in 1978. While going through the local academy(after being on the job for almost a year) my third issued M10 had the bolt stop break while shooting the final qualification.

2. Given a Oldsmobile Diesel sedan for a marked uniform patrol unit. The engine blew up the first month it was in service. The department bought three of them and the other two went down fairly quickly. Another one had the engine blow and the last one had gas put in it. On top of that, they were so slow that a kid on a tricycle could outrun them and they sounded like a city bus coming down the road.

3. The light bar on one car I was driving caught fire while I was driving to a domestic call one night.

4. Was issued a first generation balistic vest. It was some off brand I never heard of. It was so hot and itchy and so bulky that nobody wore them.

5. Shiny, imitation patent leather duty gear that squeaked and stuck to the plastic car seats and soon started the crack.

6. Given a tiny Chevette to drive one one department and later a Chrysler K Car...What a piece of...Well, you know.

7. Issued a M10 at the same department that the "Chief" had allowed a buddy to chrome plate. I do mean chrome and not nickel. All the issued revolvers had this treatment and all were flaking. Some had the cylinders freeze. I wound up just bringing my 586 to work with the Bianchi Breakfront security holster I bought for it. Nobody seemed to notice or care that I did.

8. Issued a little slapjack for an impact weapon...Just the slapjack.(No, not a blackjack). I bought my own Convoy for my back pocket as well as a baton. Used my 7 cell Kellight most of the time for that purpose.

9. The same department issued exactly 12 rounds of .38 Spl RNL. Speedloaders were forbidden.

10. One department prohibited backup weapons or any kind of pocket knives. I carried both anyway. Most of the other officers on patrol did also.

11. One rural department had new officers work in civilian clothes for a month or so before issuing 2 uniforms. The Sheriff wanted to make sure you didn't quit before ordering any uniforms. One did get a badge and ID. You could carry your own .38 if you wanted...or not.

I could go on but I have probably forgotten more than I can remember. I eventually left law enforcement after about 14 years and went into another line of work. Some of the incentive to make the change was the lousy equipment and poor quality supervisors that I encountered. Not all were like that but it only takes one to get you killed. I did miss it for a while but got over that...Best of luck to all the people still on the job!

9.

 

[old bear]

Would I do it again-- DARN RIGHT!

"Doing good police work is the most fun you will ever have in your life." Joe Wambaugh.
Now that I've been retired sometime I realize how much I loved the job, even with all the B.S. oversight and P.C. attitudes that came about in the late 80's.

 

[Bat Guano]

Geez, I really had nothing to complain about in comparison!

Prior to that in the AF (SAC for my first year or so) we had '65 Dodge 6-pack 2WD pickups with slant 6 engines and 4 speed for strike team vehicles. We used to run the socks off them and the road to the nuclear weapons storage area was about 3 miles out. On drills and exercises we ran those things full out. The bodies were falling apart but otherwise you couldn't break them. Always had a soft spot for those old 6 bangers afterwards.

About a year later I was overseas racing around at a bomb dump, bringing back a case of grenades because of a shooting incident. I failed to make a corner and ran that International pickup straight into a wall of 750 pound bombs. They were unfused, but I remember wondering as I headed into them if they would go boom or not. "Memories are made of this".

 

[amazingflapjack]

357-yeah, and even without the bugs, they are still direct gas impingement opperated, and that's the biggest bug of all! There are some now that are gas cylinder opperated, and I understand that the new Sig is sold out and back ordered, but it is an AK-47 in a Sig rapper. Did you notice that when we supply our "allies" with weapons all around the globe that they don't want M-16"s? I heard that we actually bought some AK's from China for some Iraq troops. Ask the trops, they want 1911's and M-14's-but what do they know(?). Flapjack.

 

[Rule 303]

The last M16A2 I was issued by the National Park Service was the most reliable and accurate M16 I have ever shot. I carried it in my patrol vehicle in a electric gun mount on the hump along with my 870. The A2 was made by FN.

I could tell you about the funky equiptment I was issued by the NPS in 1971 when I went to work for them, but it would take too long.

We finally started getting better equiptment after the Bicentenial events. We showed up at Minute Man and Lexington looking like Panch Villa's Mexian Army. No two rangers had the same weapon or leather. By the time we made Ft. McHenery and Philadelphia for the celebrations, we looked a little better.

Our vehicle were always pretty good and as time went on the equiptment got better.

After I left the Park Service I was a Chief of Police for a 30 Officer Department. Our Equiptment was excellent, I saw to it.

Rule 303

 

[617X10]

Have them carry around an M-14 for a little while and ask them if they still like it. The only issue gear I ever fully questioned while in the Air Force was the "nut protector," a little flap that hung from the end of a flak jacket and covered...well, you know. I like the idea, just not the execution.

 

[4330Inroute]

The city I worked for when I started out replaced Dodge Polaras with 440s with 1981 Dodge aspens. We were issued two bought off a state contract. First one blew the transmission with 22 miles on it. It was sold as scrap a year later after 3 transmissions and 2 engines later with a total of 300 miles on it. It never ran more than 3 days in a row. The second would not go faster than 65mph full out. It was fairly reliable just not fast.

S&W 916 shotgun. One came apart in my hands when I chambered a round in it during a robbery call.

The revolver they issued me was an M&P 6 inch with a bent barrel. I gave it back and carried my own. We weren't issued leather and new weapons until 1982 and only after we as a dept. threatened a lawsuit against the city.

 

[ErnieDeBord]

Like Smith 357 posted, The AR/M16 platfrom........I was "Issued" & have had a few new Colts that I bought. I have really tried to like the things. BUT when all is said & done they are to much of a pain to clean & keep-up. For me in a real world situation I would pick a Heavy bbl Remington in 308 with a nice Leuipold scope and 1911 pistol ANYTIME

 

[jimmyj]

1. Issued first M10 in 1978. While going through the local academy(after being on the job for almost a year) my third issued M10 had the bolt stop break while shooting the final qualification.

2. Given a Oldsmobile Diesel sedan for a marked uniform patrol unit. The engine blew up the first month it was in service. The department bought three of them and the other two went down fairly quickly. Another one had the engine blow and the last one had gas put in it. On top of that, they were so slow that a kid on a tricycle could outrun them and they sounded like a city bus coming down the road.

3. The light bar on one car I was driving caught fire while I was driving to a domestic call one night.

4. Was issued a first generation balistic vest. It was some off brand I never heard of. It was so hot and itchy and so bulky that nobody wore them.

5. Shiny, imitation patent leather duty gear that squeaked and stuck to the plastic car seats and soon started the crack.

6. Given a tiny Chevette to drive one one department and later a Chrysler K Car...What a piece of...Well, you know.

7. Issued a M10 at the same department that the "Chief" had allowed a buddy to chrome plate. I do mean chrome and not nickel. All the issued revolvers had this treatment and all were flaking. Some had the cylinders freeze. I wound up just bringing my 586 to work with the Bianchi Breakfront security holster I bought for it. Nobody seemed to notice or care that I did.

8. Issued a little slapjack for an impact weapon...Just the slapjack.(No, not a blackjack). I bought my own Convoy for my back pocket as well as a baton. Used my 7 cell Kellight most of the time for that purpose.

9. The same department issued exactly 12 rounds of .38 Spl RNL. Speedloaders were forbidden.

10. One department prohibited backup weapons or any kind of pocket knives. I carried both anyway. Most of the other officers on patrol did also.

11. One rural department had new officers work in civilian clothes for a month or so before issuing 2 uniforms. The Sheriff wanted to make sure you didn't quit before ordering any uniforms. One did get a badge and ID. You could carry your own .38 if you wanted...or not.

I could go on but I have probably forgotten more than I can remember. I eventually left law enforcement after about 14 years and went into another line of work. Some of the incentive to make the change was the lousy equipment and poor quality supervisors that I encountered. Not all were like that but it only takes one to get you killed. I did miss it for a while but got over that...Best of luck to all the people still on the job!

9.

YES, YES!! Convoy Blackjack- That was an "Impact Weapon"!
I still have mine. I gave one to each of my five sons and one son-inlaw when they entered L.E.

 

[jimmyj]

1. Issued first M10 in 1978. While going through the local academy(after being on the job for almost a year) my third issued M10 had the bolt stop break while shooting the final qualification.

2. Given a Oldsmobile Diesel sedan for a marked uniform patrol unit. The engine blew up the first month it was in service. The department bought three of them and the other two went down fairly quickly. Another one had the engine blow and the last one had gas put in it. On top of that, they were so slow that a kid on a tricycle could outrun them and they sounded like a city bus coming down the road.

3. The light bar on one car I was driving caught fire while I was driving to a domestic call one night.

4. Was issued a first generation balistic vest. It was some off brand I never heard of. It was so hot and itchy and so bulky that nobody wore them.

5. Shiny, imitation patent leather duty gear that squeaked and stuck to the plastic car seats and soon started the crack.

6. Given a tiny Chevette to drive one one department and later a Chrysler K Car...What a piece of...Well, you know.

7. Issued a M10 at the same department that the "Chief" had allowed a buddy to chrome plate. I do mean chrome and not nickel. All the issued revolvers had this treatment and all were flaking. Some had the cylinders freeze. I wound up just bringing my 586 to work with the Bianchi Breakfront security holster I bought for it. Nobody seemed to notice or care that I did.

8. Issued a little slapjack for an impact weapon...Just the slapjack.(No, not a blackjack). I bought my own Convoy for my back pocket as well as a baton. Used my 7 cell Kellight most of the time for that purpose.

9. The same department issued exactly 12 rounds of .38 Spl RNL. Speedloaders were forbidden.

10. One department prohibited backup weapons or any kind of pocket knives. I carried both anyway. Most of the other officers on patrol did also.

11. One rural department had new officers work in civilian clothes for a month or so before issuing 2 uniforms. The Sheriff wanted to make sure you didn't quit before ordering any uniforms. One did get a badge and ID. You could carry your own .38 if you wanted...or not.

I could go on but I have probably forgotten more than I can remember. I eventually left law enforcement after about 14 years and went into another line of work. Some of the incentive to make the change was the lousy equipment and poor quality supervisors that I encountered. Not all were like that but it only takes one to get you killed. I did miss it for a while but got over that...Best of luck to all the people still on the job!

9.

In the small agencies in my part of the world, a big help to getting hired was to be the same size of the officer (s) that had left prior. In this way you could be issued their uniforms and equipment.