LAPD's Official Newsletter, The Thin Blue Line, featured an article regarding the department's upcoming authorization of Glock Pistols for duty use. Officers will be allowed to purchase 9mm, 40 and 45 Glocks at their own expense and carry them after undergoing departmental training. This is going to be policy per their Chief.
    So I guess this should confirm the rumors that everyone has been hearing lately. Apparently if you decide not to get a buy your own Glock they will still give you a Beretta.

The LAPD has been authorized to carry different caliber arms other than the Beretta for a while.  They were allowed to carry different calibers after the North Hollywood bank shootout, mainly the .45 ACP.  I talked with a LAPD cop sometime during October last year, he's a cousin to a person that I know,  he carries a .45 ACP Pistol didn't specify on the make or model.  Interesting though none the less.

Other than some interchangability problems, they should be allowed carry whatever they are good with, pending departmental approval, of course.
I wouldn't want to be forced to carry something that does not fit my hand or I just don't like, for whatever reason, all day long.
Tools that their lives depend on shouldn't be dictated by some desk jocky either, IMO.
The days of the issued blue .38 with RNL are over, thank goodness.

The NYSP are issued Glock 17's.  They were going to switch to the Glock 22's but the head brass feared that they would be refurbished and some how be used in crimes, so they are still with the Glock 17's.  In the past they were able to carry Glock 19's or Glock 26's, the high brass canceled that too.

Econ Police carry the Glock 22 .40 S&W Pistol.  No exceptions on this and they have a shotgun and you wouldn't believe this but a bolt-action rifle (mainly chambered in .243 Win) riding in the car.

I don't think interchangeability is that big a deal with cops. What are the odds that an officer is going to get into situation where he is out of magazines and there is another officer down-or whatever would cause someone else's equipment to be available?

Aimless,

I know of at least one Chief that argues this point.

Quoted: I don't think interchangeability is that big a deal with cops. What are the odds that an officer is going to get into situation where he is out of magazines and there is another officer down-or whatever would cause someone else's equipment to be available? Aimless, I know of at least one Chief that argues this point.

If officer "A" goes through 3 magaizines, appx 50 rounds, and still has a threat to deal with, either there is a monumnetal organized assault going on OR what that officer is doing is ineffective.

If you can't get the job done with 50 rounds what make anyone think that 10, 15, or 20 subsequent rounds will help?

Also since every bullet fired has a lawsuit attached to it, 50 lawsuits is sufficient litigation for 1 person. I don't think I want in on the legal frieght train, by giving that person more lawsuits to launch, since I'll also be responsible for what happens with the bullets I provided to that officer.

On the other hand, Glock by making all it's mags interchangable, as long as they are the same caliber, and the mags are longer than the mag-well, is on the right path. I have a G-21 and G-30 if I carry the G-30 as a BUG, it's nice to know that I can use the G-21 mags that I'm carrying anyway, and I have 5 of those. Nothing worse than have to have two sets of mags for two weapons..............

I would hate to be the armorer for a large department with dozens of makes in several calibers and finishes.
Hence the interchangability issue, not just in an "officer down" scenario.

Florida Highway Patrolmen are all issued Beretta 96's.