24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Glock and Sig Sauer are among the most popular guns used by police departments across the United States.
• When choosing guns for their departments, police consider factors like price, reliability, capacity, accuracy, and brand quality.
• The U.S. has over 18,000 police departments nationwide and most are armed with handguns.
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After years of declining recruitment, police departments across the country saw more recruits in 2023 than the four years before. The Police Executive Research Forum surveyed 214 law enforcements agents nationwide. Smaller and medium-sized police departments were more likely to have more sworn officers. Though large police departments also saw an increase in overall police numbers, these departments are often still below staffing levels from 2020. Many agencies are also re-evaluating criteria to become a police officer, loosening the requirements on visible tattoos or past financial issues.

Police officers play an important role in public safety. They patrol certain areas, write citations and reports as needed, and respond to some emergency and non-emergency situations. In emergencies, police officers step in to control the situation and, if needed, stop individuals exhibiting deviant behavior. For this, many officers carry guns to enforce public safety and offer protection in situations before they get out of hand. Police departments often have preferences on the weapons they carry. Certain guns, and gun brands, have made it to the forefront of police use through training, time, and preferences. (Here are 22 cities that defunded police and their current crime rates.)

Her, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the makers and types of firearms used nationwide to determine those used most often by police officers. Knowing the factors they consider helps them understand why they choose the ones they do. Capacity, accuracy, and cost are common and important aspects to consider when choosing a weapon, and this is no different for any American police department. Departments choose time-tested guns with high reliability and quality. Pistols seem the most prevalent, followed by shotguns and handguns used for backups. We did not list the guns in any particular order.

Certain manufacturers have found their way to repeated use both for the common person and for officers of the law. Glock, established in the US in 1988, and Sig Sauer, who have been selling weapons since 1976, make the list most often. Most of these manufacturers have reached the top of the list in American sales. Positive feedback on these specific makers includes their magazine capacity, accuracy, weight, trigger pull, and safety features. (These are last year’s best selling guns in the U.S.)

Why Are We Covering This?

According to the FBI, the United States has over 18,000 police departments. The vast majority of these departments’ officers are armed with a handgun. Like many other public institutions, police in the United States and around the world are a major client of the firearm manufacturing industry, a $10 billion a year sector. Providing a profile of the most commonly used weapons helps paint a picture of some of the gun manufacturers benefitting most from American taxpayer dollars.

Let’s learn more about the most popular guns used in American law enforcement today:

Smith & Wesson M&P 40

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 0.40
• Price: $500
• Used by: San Antonio PD

FN 509 MRD-LE

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $830
• Used by: Los Angeles PD

Walther PPQ (replaced by the PDP)

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $700
• Used by: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office

Sig Sauer P365

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm, .380 Automatic
• Price: $640
• Used by: Indiana State PD

Glock 43

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $450
• Used by: Asheville (NC) PD

Sig Sauer P229

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $1,400
• Used by: Memphis PD, U.S. Secret Service

Glock 21

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: .45
• Price: $550
• Used by: Phoenix PD, Lawton (OK) PD

Remington 870

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