Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty reconsidered his previous position, he said Monday, and will allow officers to carry their personal rifles while on duty until the department buys additional weapons.According to the AP, he had previously denied the request, based on some spurious reasoning.
Last week, Citty rejected a police union request to allow officers to carry personal rifles following the shooting deaths of five Dallas officers. He had called the proposal from the city's Fraternal Order of Police "alarmist" and said the policy would present problems for the department ensuring the quality of the equipment.Generally, cops carry equipment that is as good as, or better, than the equipment purchased from the lowest bidder. Additionally, officers are more apt to familiarize with their own weapons than they are to practice with agency owned firearms.
I've always carried my own patrol rifle. And my own shotgun, and for many years, my own handgun.
I wouldn't call that alarmist, I'd call it PRUDENT! Sigh... And one does know their own equipment much better in most cases.
ReplyDeleteThe chief's reasoning seems 'alarmist'. When my grandfather was sheriff, not only did they have to buy their own weapons, they had to buy their own squad car (it had to meet certain requirements). About the only thing the sheriff's office supplied was the uniform and badge. Heck, until a few years ago I would see teletype messages come across from some of the smaller agencies that still required the deputies to purchase their own vehicles. As long as the officer can qualify with the weapon I don't see why they can't carry it.
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