I carry all the time, with the exceptions of airline travel and if I go out drinking. My thought is that if you carry a badge, carry a gun, it's just that simple. I don't know how many times I have heard stories from officers/troopers who don't carry off duty, yet ID themselves as such in one situation or another. What if you ID yourself to person, for one reason or another, and he's a felon who just robbed a liquor store and has a gun on him? Or he's just some mope who hates cops? I can think of thousands of reasons to carry a gun off duty and very few reasons not too. Several times off duty I have encountered dirtbags I've arrested who decided they had something to say to me. Well, I simply walked away rather than engage in a pointless arguement; but I had a gun on my hip in case he wanted to "take it up a notch". Troopers I work with have told me that they don't carry off duty because "they wouldn't want to endanger their family." Endanger their family? Just because you carry, it certainly doesn't mean you HAVE to respond to a situation. What if someone threatens your family and you have nothing but your tin in your back pocket? I would say that endangers your family more than carrying a piece. I've said it before; I go out of my way to avoid trouble off duty. The best thing I can do off duty is if I'm observing some sort of crime to get on my cell and call the ON DUTY police. But with that said, if some shithead decides to knife his girlfriend in front of me in downtown Boston; he's getting .45 caliber lead for his trouble. I carry only to PROTECT MY LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS FROM IMMINENT DEADLY HARM. Cops who get in trouble carrying off duty are usually the idiots who show off their piece by letting their jacket "accidently" slide up; probably to show how tough they are. Or the morons who go out and toss a few back then let off a few rounds to wake up the neighborhood. Or, most dangerously, go out off duty, hoping to get "into the shit" (usually new officers). Remember, off duty you have no radio to call for backup, vest for protection, or uniform to identify who you are. You are just as likely to get shot by a cop than a criminal. The reasons cops give for why they don't carry are numerous, but probably it comes down to laziness and cheapness. Most duty guns are too big for practical conceal carry, and most cops are too cheap to buy a small carry gun. Quality holsters are also quite pricey (but well worth it). Laziness refers to the fact that most cops don't even want to go through the "trouble" of carrying. It takes me perhaps an extra 30 seconds to thread a holster and put a gun on. Still, there is some hope; more and more Troopers in my barracks have been coming to me asking what they should carry off duty. Perhaps in a post 9-11 world, security has become more of a real concern. And since everyone else is posting what they carry, here's my personal choices:
Hot weather : S&W Airweight Bodyguard loaded with .38+P Winchester 125 grain Silvertips
Cold weather : Kimber Compact or Sig Sauer P245 loaded with .45 ACP Federal 230 grain Hydra-Shoks
Duty : Sig Sauer P226 loaded with .40 S&W Winchester 180 grain SXT.
