Whatever their current pistol is, is what is issued to new recruits (currently M&P 9mm). They don't ever attempt a department wide conversion. Yes, they have a pretty big roster of approved weapons. My understanding is if you're moving from a TDA gun to a striker, or vice-versa, it's a two day conversion course. 1911's require a 40 hr course.
I'll defer to your knowledge here...you're closer!
How are the Staccato Ps working out so far as an approved weapons? A lot of our SWAT guys have a major gun crush on that pistol. I get it....half of our range staff bought them. It's a stupid easy gun to shoot. I'm a "show me" type when it comes to reliability though.
LAPD approved STIs well before we did, and I can’t speak too much for them, but I will say I have been pretty impressed. We had one on our most recent 1911 class (the first since they were approved... I think we had five STIs in the class) that ran 100% with duty ammo but had some occasional issues with the lighter practice load.
The rest ran 100%. If I wasn’t one of the poor’s I’d have one. One day I will.
I can’t say too much but I will say STI is working harder than any company I know to make a platform that is LE/Mil reliable with all the 1911 attributes.
All that, and I’m crushing on the M&P 2.0 right now... especially the new LE CORE model. I have two of those along with a 5” iron sight version and I really like them. The 1.0 is a tank and super reliable, but the 2.0 is a shooter’s gun and way better for me.
Considering the anal retention of my former agency, I find it incredible that LAPD offers days of training to allow officers to convert from one pistol to another. My former employer had provided a list of authorized off-duty/back-up weapons. That changed to anything approved by firearms instructors from .380 to .45 except the dreaded and recklessly dangerous single action. I was tempted to tell the firearms training coordinator that some striker-fired pistols might be considered single action, but contented myself by telling him that he really needed to put decimal point in his list of authorized calibers as "380" and "38" aren't really things.
Since the agency now follows lock step in the wisdom of the D.C. Metropolitan Police, you better carry a 9mm or, I suppose reluctantly, a .40 (issued when we carried SigSauer) because those .45's will over-penetrate and kill everyone. That said, since the agency was carrying the FNS-9 for a few years and now issues Glock 17's and 19's (and a sole Glock 26 to the chief since the weight of a duty pistol would be so great as he roams from his office to the gym and back again and maybe to a council meeting), I question the wisdom of allowing anyone to purchase a TDA pistol, make it through qualification, and carry it without some training. Of course, what do I know and who would care?