TX: Houston Police Officer has ND shooting self at academy range

[Scott B.]

Now on Houston PD. I thought all firearms AND gear were furnished.

Other than special operations division and few other special units, HPD officers buy their own firearms. Uniformed officers use level 3 safariland holsters. Detectives use what works for plain clothes.

State agencies, and feds of course, have issued firearms, 99% of agencies around these parts are all individual officer purchase.

Surprises a lot of folks.

Blackhawk does have their new T series holsters which eliminates the SERPA issue. They're okay, though they did have a recall on the new holsters for P320s with Thumb Safeties (rarely seen around these parts in LEO hands).

[longtooth]

Thank you for the above Scott B. Learned a lot.

[Liberty]

I'm betting that it was a striker-fired weapon such as a Glock, Probably paired with a Blackhawk Serpa. It's called Glock leg though, not Serpa Leg.

Glock Leg has happened with other holsters too. But in the case of the Serpa, it happens with 1911s too (warning.....F-Bomb and SoB after he shoots himself):
https://youtu.be/zYvAxLX6OzE

He shows two holsters.... the Safariland "thumb drive" holster that he’d been using earlier in the day with a Glock, and the Serpa he was using with his 1911 when he shot himself.

He blames himself, not the holster. But I’d contend that some equipment creates the environment for higher risk than others. I like the Safariland thumb release system. You couldn’t pay me to use a Serpa, regardless of what gun I was using.

I have a Serpa that was given to me several years ago. It is for my Berretta 92. The 92 has a heavy long first trigger. along with a manual safety. I don't carry with it but have practiced a draw and dry fire quire a bit. my trigger finger on the draw never comes close to the trigger but comes to rest on the take down pin, there is a groove on the holster that guides it there.

My point was that with the lighter action triggers of a Glock, and no mechanical safety makes for a dangerous combination with something like a Serpa.

Maybe someday If I decide to actually carry my 92 I might actually buy another holster for it, as it is we all manage our own risks, such as light triggers, no manual safety or a holster with little retention.

[Jago668]

It's basically risk stacking instead of tolerance stacking. Gun + holster + not enough draw practice (probably) + not wanting to look slow to his peers (probably) = hole in leg