If you’re looking to enter the professional world of law enforcement as a police officer, a member of your local sheriff department, or indeed in another job within public service, it is strongly advisable to find out everything you possibly can about the job.
One such area that is often spoken about, both in a negative and a positive way, is what, when and how police officers carry weapons and moreover, how do they ensure the safety of themselves and innocent members of the public when carrying them?
So, with that being said and regardless of the motivation behind your interest, continue reading to learn all about the standardized weapons carried by all members of law enforcement.
Firearms
Unlike the United Kingdom and indeed, many other countries across the world, the possession of firearms is legal both for the average guy on the street and of course, police offers and other members of law enforcement.
Arguably, the standard of craftsmanship and caliber of the weapon a police officer uses could make the difference between surviving and loss of life, both for the officers and the criminals, with the following guns being the most common firearms US police carry:
- Beretta Model 92
- Remington Model 870 Shotgun
- Colt M4 Carbine
- Heckler & Koch HK45
- SIG Sauer P226
- Smith & Wesson M&P 9
- Glock 22
Tasers
A relatively new addition to the standard weapons most types of police officers who work on the proverbial front line is the taser weapon.
Essentially, tasers are small electronic devices, bright yellow in color, and are only assigned to officers with the relevant training. They work by releasing an electrical current that will incapacitate a dangerous or violet criminal.
If you’re the victim of a taser injury and therefore need a taser injury lawyer, make sure you do as much research as possible and ensure the lawyer that you choose to work with has experience in similar cases.
Breaching Apparatus
Armed with a firearm and taser, larger weapons or more specifically, tools for entry, members of law enforcement tend to keep in their vehicles consist of items to permit, when necessary, speedy entry into a building, such as a sledgehammer tool, a bolt-cutter or a door breacher tool.
On their person, they may also carry or indeed, have immediate access to, a breaching kit designed for responding to an incident involving an active shooter.
Riot Protection Gear
Finally, as a general rule, when the riot police are called to a particular location, they will be wearing specially designed riot protection gear, including a shield and a helmet.
Riot shields protect the body all the way from the head to the knees and are made from strong and durable materials to protect the individual from everything from bricks and rocks to corrosive liquids. Police-issued riot helmets shield the face and the head from the same materials and always include a pull-down visor for extra protection.
