According to an informal poll held on on Massachusetts Police Department message boards, 58.27% of the 127 police officers responding sometimes carry a weapon off-duty, 26.77% always carry a weapon and 14.96% never carry a weapon.

DODK911 carries a Beretta 92F on duty and a Tourus PT111 off-duty. CampusOfficer’s on-duty gun, until it was taken away, was a .40 caliber Glock 27. Off-duty he prefers a .40 Caliber H-K USP compact.

The reasons for carrying vary. Some report wanting to be prepared when they pick up their teenage daughter from the train station. Others read about an unarmed off-duty cop being shot during a convenience story robbery after being verbally called out by the store clerk. Sempergumby says he “Would rather carry and not need it. Its just that simple for me.”

“Carry Weapon Off Duty?” [MassCops]

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