This is mostly focused towards LEOs who have been in the situation or have personal knowledge of the situation...

What experience have y'all seen in regards to having a lighter pull weight trigger on a patrol rifle, as far as how the courts and attorneys see it. I'm not talking specific department policy, as I would not be posing the question if policy detailed this. I've heard some say that as long as proficiency is shown and it's documented, it's ok. I've also heard some say it a litigation / liability issue.

As for lighter pull weight trigger, I'm referring to a 3.5lbs single stage CMC drop in unit &/or similar type triggers.

My department has some rifles with RRA two stage triggers. Hasn't been an issue.

Personally I'd stick to stock triggers and weights myself. Probably depends on your area but where I live, if the shooting is justified then no one including the courts and attorneys care about what you shot the person with.

A nearby agency had a bad shoot awhile back. Officer pulled his gun on a suspect who was running from him but meant to pull his taser. Shot the suspect in a non vital location. Suspect fully recovered. Department paid some money to the suspect. No one cared any details about the specific firearm.

Whatever an SSA gives you...that's exactly what it was designed to be:  a precision trigger for a combat/patrol rifle.

Every single OIS I have seen the question of the gun itself has never come in to play.

The gun is photographed and serials numbers checked to make sure the officer has qualified with it. The specs or details of the gun has never come into play.

This is touching the old wives tale that a custom gun will get you into trouble when a shooting happens. Not true.

If deadly force is authorized then it doesn't matter what the force is.

Eta: as long as you are within department policy you will be fine. I run a Timney 4lb single stage

if you have to use it, and then ask someone asks about it, you can articulate for better accuracy to avoid unintended casualties and greater protect the public. Just get it approved by dept.

As was previously mentioned the popular philosophy in firearms circles at my agency is as long as it was a good shoot no one's going to care about which trigger you have  from a criminal or civil liability standpoint.  On the other hand if it's not approved by your department prepare to get suspended or fucked with.   In my case I have a SSA in my AR and an aftermarket  trigger in my Glock which is actually an OEM part it's just highly polished but I also understand if I shoot someone I'm probably gonna be suspended for a policy violation  since we are not allowed to add aftermarket parts like that.  But as another poster suggested my defense for my rifle is that I actually shoot substantially better and more accurately than I did with the stock mill spec trigger that came in the rifle so I view it as a liability minimizing move and that would be how I would approach the justification.   Same for the replacement trigger I have in my Glock because the pull weight is the same as stock it's just smoother and I shoot it a lot better than the piece of shit trigger that Glock installed at the factory and its actually a Glock part

I have high speed stuff on all my personal rifles but have kept the stock trigger in my patrol rifle.

Our policy specifies a "duty" trigger, intentionally left vague to generally imply a standard milspec 5-7lb pull but not rule out a RRA 2-stage. I have inspected nearly a hundred myself and only yanked one, a weird 2-stage with a pull weight tested at 8oz.

If you're concerned there are some public documents about the SSA/SSF and it's safety testing both for drop and longevity. It would be a very defensible choice for an aftermarket trigger.

The more that is put into policy, the more the agency has to inspect, monitor, keep track of, and the more attorneys have to question people about.  The more simple and direct a policy is, the easier it is for the agency to defend.

"A safe properly operating trigger and safety", is pretty simple.

My 1911 and patrol rifle is at 4#.

not that big of deal unless your doing some sort of marksman stuff....more of a hassle when the state rips your gun apart and starts asking if you are a gunsmith

*works close with state guys who investigate officer shootings*

my rifle has a giesselle, but its the amount it came at