Police officers in the United States must respond to a myriad of situations. And while some situations may be more dangerous than others, police officers still face a high level of risk to their safety every time they start a shift. According to the FBI’s 2021 Uniform Crime Report, there were 66,415 assaults against law enforcement officers – resulting in 22,063 injuries. Because of the potential for deadly violence, police in the United States carry firearms that they are authorized to use under certain circumstances.

Should an officer have just cause to use their firearm in the line of duty, it must function effectively. These weapons can save someone else’s life or their own. As a result, cities across the country have strict guidelines dictating what their officers carry. (These are the states with the highest number of police-involved deaths.)

In cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia, police can choose between a range of firearms that fall within department-approved parameters to carry while on duty. Otherwise, police departments rely on a single, standardized service weapon.  Semi-automatic handguns are favored due to their larger magazine capacities and ability to fire rapidly, however, some police departments on this list still allow revolvers. (Check out twelve supercars driven by American Police.)

To identify the handguns used by police departments in America’s 10 largest cities by population, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed police department policy handbooks and local media reports. It is important to note that the firearms listed are not necessarily all those used by police in that city, but rather represent standard-issue firearms based on the latest available data at the time of this publication. 

Why This Matters

24/7 Wall St. wants to help you better understand how policing can affect your monetary decisions. We’re writing this article to give our readers an idea of the equipment and manpower that some of the biggest cities in the United States utilize. Whether perpetrated by a civilian or a law enforcement agent – crime has the potential for economic instability, affecting local business and property values. If a city is seen as dangerous or unwelcome, that city’s local businesses, labor pool, and housing market all potentially suffer.

Scroll below to see you all police standard issue sidearms in the 10 biggest American cities:

10. San Jose

• Standard issue service weapon (s): Sig Sauer P225, Sig Sauer P226, Glock 17, and Glock 19 (officers can also elect to carry a variety of approved firearms while on duty at their own expense, including Beretta and Smith & Wesson semi-automatics and Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers)

San Jose’s police presence:

San Jose has 1,161 police officers and a population of 1,019,772. That translates to roughly 1.1 police officers per 1,000 people.

9. Dallas

• Standard issue service weapon (s): Glock 17 and Glock 19, other options also available

Dallas’ police presence:

Dallas has 3,118 police officers and a population of 1,349,185. That translates to roughly 2.3 police officers per 1,000 people.

8. San Diego

• Standard issue service weapon(s): Officers choose between a range of weapons

San Diego’s police presence:

San Diego has 1,877 police officers and a population of 1,434,673. That translates to roughly 1.3 police officers per 1,000 people.

7. Philadelphia

• Standard issue service weapon(s): Revolvers: Smith & Wesson .38 Special, or Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum; Semi-automatic pistols: Glock 17, Glock 26, Glock 22, Glock 27, Glock 35, Glock 21-SF, Glock 21, Glock 30, or Glock 30-SF

Philadelphia’s police presence:

Philadelphia has 6,300 police officers and a population of 1,576,251. That translates to roughly 4.0 police officers per 1,000 people.

6. San Antonio

• Standard issue service weapon(s): Smith & Wesson M&P 40

San Antonio’s police presence:

San Antonio has 2,381 police officers and a population of 1,592,693. That translates to roughly 1.5 police officers per 1,000 people.

5. Phoenix

• Standard issue service weapon (s): Glock 22, Glock 21, and Glock 17

Phoenix’s police presence:

Phoenix has 2,795 police officers and a population of 1,638,290. That translates to roughly 1.7 police officers per 1,000 people.

4. Houston

• Standard issue service weapon (s): Glock 17 for rookies, other options available depending on tenure

Houston’s police presence:

Houston has 5,250 police officers and a population of 2,339,252. That translates to roughly 2.2 police officers per 1,000 people.

3. Chicago

• Standard issue service weapon (s): Glock 17 or Glock 19. May also use Springfield Armory XD Service Model 4 inch, Springfield Armory XD Tactical Model 5 inch, Springfield Armory XDM SFS, Smith & Wesson Model M&P9C, or Smith & Wesson Model M&P9 Shield, depending on training and tenure. Auxiliary pistol: Glock 26, Glock 43, and Springfield Armory XD Subcompact 3-inch SFS.

Chicago’s police presence:

Chicago has 13,108 police officers and a population of 2,696,561. That translates to roughly 4.9 police officers per 1,000 people.

2. Los Angeles

• Standard issue service-weapon(s): FN 509 MRD-LE

Los Angeles’ police presence:

Los Angeles has 9,474 police officers and a population of 3,988,183. That translates to roughly 2.4 police officers per 1,000 people.

1. New York

• Standard issue service-weapon(s): Glock 17, Glock 19, Smith & Wesson 5946, or the SIG Sauer P226

New York’s police presence:

New York city has 35,047 police officers and a population of 8,475,387. That translates to roughly 4.1 police officers per 1,000 people.

 

Methodology

To identify the handguns used by police departments in America’s largest cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed official police department documents and local media reports. 

All data in this story was the latest available at the time of publication and is subject to change. Specific data on the firearms available to officers with the San Diego Police Department was not available at the time of publishing, but a department spokesperson confirmed there is no single standard issue firearm and that officers have a choice between a range of firearms. 

Police officer personnel and city population figures are as of 2021 and came from the FBI. Due to a lack of FBI reporting for Chicago and Philadelphia, population data is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey and police officer counts are from official department websites.

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