gregthehand wrote:Odin wrote:So you can carry whatever gun you choose (not just department approved weapons) without feaer of an IAD investigation if you have to use the weapon. Some departments are very particular about which guns you can carry. For example, Dallas PD only allows officers to carry a Sig brand 9mm or .357Sig pistol on or off duty.
Actually even with the CHL the department policy would still be enforced over the officer. Many departments also have rules that say you can carry almost anything you want off duty but they have a qualification course for that weapon. It's usually a little different than the regular qual.
The department can't enforce policy regarding off duty carry weapons if the officer was lawfully carrying off duty under his CHL and not representing himself as an officer of said department.
The only possible exception to this that I can think of might be if the department had a policy that required officers to be armed at all times while off duty with an approved weapon. But if the officer is not required to be armed while off duty then he could carry under his CHL and follow the same rules that all other CHL holders follow.
This is no different than the patrol officer being required to drive a police car while working patrol - the department can't forbid the officer from driving his personal vehicle while off duty, even if the department provides a take home car to the officer, as long as the officer has a drivers license and the vehicle is inspected, registered and insured.
Some departments, for example Dallas PD, don't allow officers to qualify with the weapon of their choice for off duty carry. Officers are required to carry an approved Sig 9mm or Sig .357 only (with exceptions for the few officers grandfathered in to carry previously approved Glock and Beretta weapons).