Chicago PD with wheelguns?!?!

[jon volk]

New one for me. I just flew in to Ohare today and saw one officer carrying a revolver. I thought it was a bit of an oddity, but then saw two more with the same service weapon. Is there some sort of back story to this? I don't think I've seen a revolver holstered as a service weapon in my short adult memory. I'm not sure if airport "Chicago police" are a different entity than those in gangland.

[Gray222]

Totally normal for the bigger city PDs.

My PD still has many 38 and 357 wheel guns in service.

[fatdog]

Let me guess, they all had gray hair and wrinkles, most were slightly to moderately overweight, and they all had leather gear that was very worn. That is the Chicago PD I have seen at O'Hare and Midway for 30 years now with S&W wheel guns, mostly stainless.

[RevolverRob]

You'll find them not just at the airports, but sometimes on foot-patrol and/or parade duty downtown (mostly). The most important aspect to know is all CPD officers are required to purchase their own pistol(s). So you are unlikely to see many officers deviate from their original choices.

The following regs:

Officers hired on or before December 1, 1991 may carry DA/SA semi-autos or 4" barreled Colt, Smith and Wesson, or Ruger revolvers in .38 or .357 Magnum.

Officers hired on or before May 19, 2008 may carry DAO S&W, Beretta, Ruger, or Sig Sauer pistols in 9mm, .40, or .45.

Officers hired after August 28, 2015 must choose between Smith and Wesson M&P, Glock 17/19/34, or Springfield Armory XD in 9mm only.

This is per: Chicago Police Department Uniform and Property U04-02

http://directives.chicagopolice.org/directives/data/a7a57be2-12ce0ca3-81d12-ce0c-aae3aeb1a519d78b.pdf?hl=true

PS: Just noticed while reading through the Uniform and Property code - that sworn officers may not carry more than two exposed handguns while on duty. I'm not gonna lie, it might be tempting as a CPD officer to rock two handguns. :rolleyes::eek::confused:

[JHC]

Let me guess, they all had gray hair and wrinkles, most were slightly to moderately overweight, and they all had leather gear that was very worn. That is the Chicago PD I have seen at O'Hare and Midway for 30 years now with S&W wheel guns, mostly stainless.

"The past is another country. They do things differently there." :D

[walker2713]

PS: Just noticed while reading through the Uniform and Property code - that sworn officers may not carry more than two exposed handguns while on duty. I'm not gonna lie, it might be tempting as a CPD officer to rock two handguns. :rolleyes::eek::confused:

In another life I lived for 27 years on the south side of Chicago....and remember well a VERY large cop from the 21st District who everyone naturally called Tiny. In addition to his conventional 4" revolver at 3 o'clock, he wore a S&W model 29 8-3/8" barrel revolver in a shoulder holster.

As RR said, as long as you had your 4" gun on your hip, you could carry pretty much anything else you wanted. I'd often see officers with 1911's on the belt or in shoulder holsters. Just reminiscing. :cool:

[John Hearne]

You'll find them not just at the airports, but sometimes on foot-patrol and/or parade duty downtown (mostly). The most important aspect to know is all CPD officers are required to purchase their own pistol(s). So you are unlikely to see many officers deviate from their original choices.

The following regs:

Officers hired on or before December 1, 1991 may carry DA/SA semi-autos or 4" barreled Colt, Smith and Wesson, or Ruger revolvers in .38 or .357 Magnum.

Officers hired on or before May 19, 2008 may carry DAO S&W, Beretta, Ruger, or Sig Sauer pistols in 9mm, .40, or .45.

Officers hired after August 28, 2015 must choose between Smith and Wesson M&P, Glock 17/19/34, or Springfield Armory XD in 9mm only.

This is per: Chicago Police Department Uniform and Property U04-02

http://directives.chicagopolice.org/directives/data/a7a57be2-12ce0ca3-81d12-ce0c-aae3aeb1a519d78b.pdf?hl=true

PS: Just noticed while reading through the Uniform and Property code - that sworn officers may not carry more than two exposed handguns while on duty. I'm not gonna lie, it might be tempting as a CPD officer to rock two handguns. :rolleyes::eek::confused:

As I understand it, your had to carry one revolver, the second could be a semi-auto. Folks would carry a revolver in a shoulder holster to meet policy and carry a semi-auto as a primary. It was a way to game the system.

[Rex G]

Houston PD, too. One of my academy classmates keeps two S&W L-Frames grandfathered, by keeping his qual current since the 1997 move to specified DA autos. He still works patrol, trains regularly at the 24-hour PD range, and certified to carry an AR15 patrol rifle, too. He has not had to shoot any human adversaries, but has shot two or three violent dogs. (We shoot more dogs than humans, even though the rules of engagement are the same; the threat of SBI or death must be imminent, regardless.)

I did not keep any revolvers grandfathered for "primary duty" carry in 1997, opting to instead keep three full-sized 1911 pistols current. I continued to bring a cased 4" GP100 to work with me, for special situations, as late as 2006. More than one felon looked up the barrel of the big revolver, while my duty auto pistol remained holstered. This was particularly true after I switched to Glocks for duty in 2002; I could not, and still cannot, shoot a Glock as well as a 1911, GP100, or S&W K/L-Frame. (I am much better, today, with Glocks, but every training round fired with a Glock seems to benefit my 1911 and revolver shooting, too, so the gap may never close, completely.)

Most revolvers seen in police duty holsters, today, are probably personally-owned, not issued. Contrary to Hollywood portrayals, most police duty firearms in the USA are not issued, but personally-owned. State police and federal agencies do normally issue duty pistols, but at the municipal PD/county sheriff level, personally-owned duty handguns are quite normal, even among the largest municipalities.

[TheNewbie]

I was in Mexico City two weeks ago. I saw more revolvers than anything . Some of the holsters even had extra rounds stacked vertically on the holster in individual loops.

[Coyotesfan97]

When we first transitioned to semi autos that the department issued they allowed you to continue carrying a revolver. The last guy I can remember carrying a wheel gun retired 10+ years ago.

[psalms144.1]

I qualified with my 642 again yesterday, just for the fun of it, so wheelies are alive and well in Federal LE too (at least for another 2.5 years - I'm the last guy in my Field Office with a revolver...)

[Hambo]

We had an very small percentage stay with revolvers once 9mm was approved. For the guys who didn't GAF about guns or shooting nothing changed except what was in their holster.

[Coyotesfan97]

When we first transitioned to semi autos that the department issued they allowed you to continue carrying a revolver. The last guy I can remember carrying a wheel gun retired 10+ years ago.

Psalm's post reminded me to add revolvers are authorized for off duty carry but not duty carry here. The last few were grandfathered.