Police Officers Only Want to Shoot These Guns

Over the last few years, there has been much debate about the necessity of police officers in our society. While many laud the police for serving and protecting our cities, and preventing crimes like theft or violence, others view the police as perpetuators of said violence. This has played out in cities around the United States as civilians and police clash — the riots following George Floyd’s death are just one example. From this clash emerged the “Defund the Police” movement, which advocates for reallocating resources and funding from police departments to social services and other forms of community support. Still, no matter how far the calls for defunding go, American police forces will most likely always play a crucial role in local protection. Since American is known for loving its guns, police often carry weapons with them. (Gun crime is a big problem in these towns across the U.S.)

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. To identify the most popular firearms used by American police, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the makers and types of firearms used nationwide. 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.

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, which is now 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.

These are the most popular guns used by 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

Rem-870-Police... (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Picanox

• Gun Type: Shotgun
• Chambered in: 12 ga, 20 ga, .410 bore
• Price: $500
• Used by: Alaska State Troopers, Memphis Police Department

Sig Sauer P320

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: .45 automatic, 9mm, 10mm
• Price: $735
• Used by: Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma City Police Department, Delaware State Police, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Glock 22

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: .40 S&W
• Price: $520
• Used by: Alaska State Troopers, Philadelphia PD, Houston PD, Phoenix PD

Smith & Wesson M&P 9

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $500
• Used by: Chicago PD, Cincinnati PD, Detroit PD, Columbus (OH) PD, CIA

Sig Sauer P226

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $1,200
• Used by: Dallas PD, Houston PD, San Jose PD, CIA, NYPD

Glock 17

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $540
• Used by: Chicago PD, Phoenix PD, FBI, San Jose PD, Dallas PD, Houston PD, Columbus (OH) PD, Asheville (NC) PD

Glock 19

• Gun Type: Semi-automatic pistol
• Chambered in: 9mm
• Price: $510
• Used by: Chicago PD, NYPD, Philadelphia PD, Boston PD, D.C. Metro PD, San Jose PD, Dallas PD, Asheville (NC) PD, FBI, CIA, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection