Now that im a Police Officer, what can I buy?

[Gunman21]

As a citizen of general public, I could tell you every gun one could buy and what was restricted. I know that certain weapons and post ban FA are restricted to LE and Military only (except certain dealers ok). Recently I took a job with a local PD and now I'm a Detention officer (class 2 police). So what privileges if any does that title
give me when it comes to buying weapons? My intuition tells me that only the department itself could buy weapons. In other words, I can't add a box of grenades and a couple Mg's to my personal arsenal. But hey a mans gotta try.

 

[docpadds]

It does not give you the ability to buy full auto, suppressors etc. It may give you a discount through dealers, some of the products we sell can go at discount to law enforcement.
As for products marked LE only etc then thats a manufacturer thing, I see LE marked Colts every day in civilian hands.

 

[armoredman]

If you are a POST certified peace officer, you get to CCW without a permit, on your badge. Depending on what state you live in, perhaps some classes of firearms not generally available to the public may be issued to you, such as short barreled carbines or select fire pistol caliber submachineguns.
I like what Barret did - any place that restricts his firearms from the general public doesn't get to give them to the PD, either. I also live in AZ, which restricts no class of firearm from the general public, so getting a badge means no more to the firearms world than CCW without a permit. This kinda backfires on LE, as they must go through the Brady check when purchasing a firearm, while a CCW permit holder does not.

 

[John Parker]

I didn't know that 'police officer' was a proper noun. Good work on your new job, I hope you enjoy it!

 

[TexasRifleman]

My intuition tells me that only the department itself could buy weapons.

Your intuition is correct. You get no "special privileges" as LE as far as NFA goes.

 

[docnyt]

I believe you are entitled to 10% off any Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts store.

Just kidding! Congrats!

 

[bigalexe]

Now that im a Police Officer, what can I buy?

I apologize if this is out of line but this kind of question completely disqualifies you as being a respectable officer or individual in my opinion. You may as well have asked "Well now that I'm better than yall, what toys can I buy?"

Anything bought that can only be sold to LEO will be bought and owned by the department, not you. As such it will come out of the department budget, which is paid by some municipality or community which you police.

Maybe what you should be doing instead of asking for a list of what LEO can purchase is instead do research, familiarize yourself with the tools your department at its disposal currently, and consider if there are any tool lacking that you believe would increase your effectiveness as an individual charged with keeping the public safe. Then once you have determined that a tool may in fact be useful and is worth purchasing, see if you can buy it.

You should spend more time worrying about how to be the most effective you can in your position than what toys you can get because now you have special permission.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

You are still a U.S. citizen and you still enjoy all of the rights the rest of us do. No priveledges NFA wise are granted based on your new occupation.

 

[LiquidTension]

You can buy LE restricted firearms, such as the $398 Glocks and the discounted Sig, Springfield, S&W, and Colt offerings. LEOs do not have to pay the excise tax on complete firearms (11% or something).

 

[jimmyraythomason]

You can buy LE restricted firearms

WHAT LE resticted guns? Are you only talking about at discounted prices?

 

[Snakum]

I guess you can buy the Rock River Arms 14.5" SBR.

(Even though there is a sticker on it that says "For Military and LE only" I know two people who bought 'em at gun shows and they ain't cops, so I dunno if it's a big deal or not.)

 

[LiquidTension]

WHAT LE resticted guns? Are you only talking about at discounted prices?

Yeah like I stated above it's mostly about the excise tax. I have seen where some of the "LE Only" guns come with an extra magazine as well. There may be a LE exemption in states that require ridiculous safety mechanisms (NY, CA, MA) but I do not live in such a state so I can't say for sure.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Anything marked LE only is either a holdover from the 1994 "Crime bill" or from states that still have such silly restrictions. Even then it only applies to departments not individual officers.

 

[LiquidTension]

The tax exemption applies to individual officers.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I am talking about weapons not monetary consideration. There are no guns that an individual officer may buy that are not also available to "civilians".

 

[Sam1911]

I guess you can buy the Rock River Arms 14.5" SBR.
(Even though there is a sticker on it that says "For Military and LE only" I know two people who bought 'em at gun shows and they ain't cops, so I dunno if it's a big deal or not.)

Four possibilities:
1) They purchased a 14.5" barreled rifle on a Form 4 as a Title II registered short-barreled rifle. With a $200 tax and a 4-6 month wait.

2) They purchased a 14.5" barreled UPPER which is not a firearm and can be sold over-the-counter, so to speak. But then they could not legally assemble it onto a lower receiver until filling out the Form 1, paying their $200 and getting their cancelled tax stamp back.

3) They purchased a 14.5" barreled rifle with a permanantly-attached (pinned & welded) long flash hider to bring the total barrel length up over 16".

4) They purchased a 14.5" barreled AR-15 pistol with no butt stock.

Anything else would have been a violation of the National Firearms Act of 1934 -- cops or not.

 

[Bubbles]

The tax exemption applies to individual officers.

Sales to individual officers are not exempt from FAET. Sales direct from the manufacturer to state and local governments, which includes law-enforcement agencies, are exempt.

FAET Exemptions

 

[LiquidTension]

Huh. Well don't tell my local stores, I do enjoy being able to buy brand new Glocks for $398 with 3 mags.

 

[Geno]

Well, ya can't buy anything that I can't buy unless it's for work, and at that, you need a signed letter from your boss. The only breaks you'd get in Michigan is that the coffee and donuts are free at Dunkin Donuts. Get used to that one.

There durn it! I got to be the first one to mess with ya!

Geno

 

[LiquidTension]

Subway and Taco Bell give free stuff too

 

[Bubbles]

Well don't tell my local stores, I do enjoy being able to buy brand new Glocks for $398 with 3 mags.

Glock paid FAET on the pistol, your local store is just giving you their own LE discount.

 

[LiquidTension]

I suppose so. That particular store has the state contract on Glocks and they provide them to individual officers at the same price as departments.

 

[NG VI]

Quote:
Well don't tell my local stores, I do enjoy being able to buy brand new Glocks for $398 with 3 mags.

Glock paid FAET on the pistol, your local store is just giving you their own LE discount.

Not true, it's actually a Glock promotional deal where people who are members of certain groups, like military personnel, cops of whatever sort, firefighters, EMTs, can get pistols at an extreme discount, and other than the subcompacts and compact 10mm and .45 pistols, they come with three magazines instead of two. Glock calls it the "Homeland Defender Package" or something similiar starting with "Homeland".

 

[LiquidTension]

Ah, mystery solved! Thanks for the info.

 

[razorback2003]

Probably Nothing Extra

You may get discounts on guns at the gunshop...but that is about it.

Very few police depts hand out subguns and select fire AR's to rank and file police officers....that's mostly SWAT. Most of the trunk guns are semi auto AR's that anyone can buy at the gun store or a shotgun...again nothing special. The SWAT team's full auto guns are dept issued and owned by the dept. I am guessing most of the short barreled shotguns and rifles that PD's let police officers keep in their cars are also dept issue...not privately owned. I doubt many individual officers will go through the trouble of paying 200 bucks to privately own a short barrel shotgun or rifle for work...no way i'd leave my personal NFA gun in the trunk of a police car to be stolen either.

You'll have to pay 200 bucks to the ATF to buy a machine gun, short barrel rifle, short barrel shotgun, or 5 bucks for an any other weapon just like the rest of us. Thank you for serving the community as a police officer!