RM
Vivas
PO Box 900 • Philmont • New
York • 12565
www.vivasandson.com
Email: robert@vivasandson.com
The
Small Arms Of The New York City Police
Department
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
(This page updated
01JUN14)
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Q: When were automatics first used?
A: Surprisingly, the
Department was rather progressive at one
point and authorized automatics in 1916 for Detectives. The authorized
gun
was the Colt M1908 (.380 ACP) Model M Hammerless. For reasons that are
still unclear, these
guns were withdrawn from service in 1918 or so. No automatics were
authorized after that until 1993. Naturally, there were some case by
case authorizations of automatics before 1993, but blanket approval
wasn't until 1993.
Q: Why was (name of suspect) shot? Why did cops kill (name of
suspect)? Was it necessary to shoot so many times to kill (name of
suspect)?
A: I don't get into the right and wrong of who gets shot or who
doesn't get shot, and don't get me started on who -should- get shot! I
simply look at the tools, not the reasoning behind their use.
Q: Why do you call female police officers Policewomen? Isn't that
sexist/misogynistic/demeaning/etc.?
A: Note that prior to 1973, women employed as police officers
were officially title Policewomen. Male police officers were titled
Patrolmen. If I am referring to a period before 1973, I use those
titles. If it is
after 1973, I use the less colorful and somewhat banal title of Police
Officer.
Q: Does the NYCPD ever sell it's old guns?
A: NYCPD never sells it's handguns simply because they don't
own very many. Handguns are usually the private property of the
officer. I have found only one instance where the NYCPD publicly sold
off it's surplus guns and that was in 1953 when the old Winchester
Model 1892's and some 1894's were sold to the general public. I suspect
there may have been one more
sale in the early 1920's, but the 1953 one is the only one I can
document.
That particular sale put 307 ex-NYCPD guns into private hands.
Q: What happens to guns that are found/seized/confiscated/turned
in?
A: Generally speaking, firearms that are seized or taken in are
turned over to the Property Clerks office where they are held until no
longer
needed (such as for use as evidence in a criminal proceeding). They are
then
destroyed. This used to be accomplished by dumping them into the
Atlantic;
it is now done by smelting the guns down.
In some instances, guns that are slated for
destruction are 'converted'
to police use. Usually this id for training purposes, although some
seized
guns have wound up on the street in emergencies. One example would be
M1
carbines that were quickly 'converted' to police use and put on the
streets
during the late 1960's during the riots. Also, provisions are
occassionally
made for rare and valuable specimens (cased Borchardts, etc.).
Q: My (relative/friend) was a NYC cop and he carried an
(Uzi/flamethrower/Stinger missle/SADM/etc.). How come you don't mention
it on your website?
A: It is human nature to never be satisfied with what you have. On the
day the NYCPD authorized it's first handgun, some guy in the back of
the roll
call room probably thought "This sucks, I'm carrying something else.".
Cops
do sometimes carry unauthorized weapons for one reason or
another.
I've interviewed Patrolmen who carried .45's, detectives who packed
magnums, etc. One fellow relates how his grandfather who was a high
ranking individual carried a Colt .38 Super during the Depression.
Certainly there have been some officers who may have
been involved in special projects and were authorized non-typical arms,
but these were special instances and not a common or widespread
practice. My observation is that the higher up the chain of command you
go, the more likely you are to find someone
packing unauthorized heat. A prime example of this was when PC Ben Ward
publicly admitted to packing a "..little machine gun..." when he went
jogging.
He was referring to his Glock which at the time was not only not
permitted
for NYCPD use, it was not allowed in NYC civilian hands either! It's
good
to be the king/PC!
Email:
robert@vivasandson.com