Can Houston police officers carry any gun they like on the job?

HPD weapons

38 cal or larger, choice of semi or revolver. Thats all I know.
Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

I believe there is a list of approved handguns they can use (or maybe a list of "NO YOU MAY NOT" handguns).

I certainly wouldn't want them carrying a Hi-Point on the job.

From what I know, all new HPD officers are issued a Beretta .40, I believe the Cougar. All HPD officers employed prior to introduction of the .40 can have their duty weapons grandfathered, including revolvers and cocked and locked types like the 1911 and Browning Hi-Power.

A few years ago when I was in H-Town visiting, I saw an HPD officer carrying a Stainless 10mm Colt Delta Elite, complete with red triangle grips. Nice.

If anybody has updated information on what they carry, please post and let us know.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Not an officer, but potentially in line for the academy in the next month or two.

A friend of mine just made it on with HPD, and apparently the department is standardized to .40. In addition to this, you have only three choices in handguns chambered in that caliber...I dont remember the model numbers, but they were Glock, HK, and Sig.

Dont know anything about grandfathering in and whatnot...

Did Houston finally ban their officers from Glock 21s? Did anyone see that story about them?

I got it from the horse's mouth er HPD's month, an officer was buying extra mags for his G-27 said that there are three approved pistols... Glock 22/23, Sig 220/226/229 and S&W 410/410s

No HK? Shame... (sorry biased )

they have an approved list, plus the senior guys can have a grandfathered weapon(s)

I know a couple of HPD officers carrying 10mm...

That's interesting about the Smith 410. A buddy of mine on HPD, who has a family member (cousin? bro-in-law? I forget) who is an armorer, says HPD's approval list does not include a single Smith, including the new M&P.

That being said, he carried a Smith (I forget the model, could be a 410s) in .40 for over 10 years. As a 20-year vet, he's been around. He bought a .40Glock this spring (yes, he personally bought it) and loves it.

Q

Except for certain special-assignment weapons, all HPD officers purchase their own firearms. A wide range of duty pistols (autoloaders and revolvers) were used until 1997. In September 1997, all new duty pistols had to be certain DA autoloaders in .40. (SIG P229, Beretta Cougar, and a certain S&W) Duty pistols being carried as of the 1997 policy change would be grandfathered, remaining approved for that officer if he qualified annually on schedule. That is why so many older officers are still seen with such pistols as 1911s and sixguns. Over time, the Cougar dropped from the list, to be replaced by the Beretta 96G, and the S&W model changed several times. The Glock G22 was added along the way. In the summer of 2007, a comprehensive new firearms policy added several new DA .40s, including the SIG P226, G23, and a few others, and I think no Berettas are still on the list. When a policy change occurs, what an officer is already carrying remains approved as long as he fires the annual qual with it. The preceding applies to "primary" pistols worn in the uniformed duty holster, with which the officer must qual on schedule. Back-up and off-duty handguns remain much the same as before 1997, .380 up to .45. These other weapons must also be fired on an annual qual course and be current if used for police purposes. To fully discuss the current policy could take a small book, and members of the department are not supposed to publicly discuss or debate department policy. I will neither confirm nor deny my employment history, but I do work in law enforcement in the SE Texas area. Other agencies in the area also allow quite a variety of duty weapons, and few agencies issue weapons in this part of Texas, where it is traditional (and cheaper for taxpayers) for officers to purchase thier own weapons.

I hate to dig up old posts but I came across this topic and was wondering if anybody has anything to follow up with in regards to more up to date regulations on, or any allowed/disallowed lists of handguns. I am getting ready to purchase a handgun and, although I am still in college, I would like to get a gun that I'll be able to use as service weapon a couple years from now (assuming regulations have not changed by then) when I join HPD. Any information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
GNW

I don't have the full list but I did have this discussion with and HPD officer a few weeks ago. Currently the list is exclusively .40 caliber pistols. He specifically mentioned the following: Sig 226 & 229, Springfield Arms XD, Glock 22 & 23, S&W M&P .40, and there were one or two others they were going to add but hadn't yet.

It's hard to say what regulations might be in a couple years but I think most of these guns (particularly the Glocks) will quite possibly still be in use in a few years. Of course you never know.....

I think it depends. Are we talking about a duty gun or the throw down they're going to use after they blow a hole in you for Jay walking at the Galleria?