Hey everyone, got a question. I've been looking through all sorts of NYPD ESU (Emergency Services Unit aka SWAT-esque for those who didn't know) photos and can't quite nail down exactly what ESU officers carry for a sidearm.
I suppose I should start by mentioning that a few friends and I began working on a Halloween costume as full uniform LAPD police officers a few years ago. Since we only carry rubber band guns when we're out and about to parties, it was never an issue as to what the holster was. Especially since the standard for Los Angeles is the Beretta M92. Well, 2008 is the last year we're doing our LAPD costume and for 2009 we're working on an NYPD motif. Again, as street-level officers, the uniform/costume is fairly simple. However, then I got to thinking about doing a SWAT-type loadout for airsoft. Since the most common SWAT theme is Los Angeles, I thought I'd try something new.
And now, back to the facts!
According to
Wikipedia (NYPD), the standard service pistol for the NYPD is a DAO (Double Action Only) pistol, and the three authorized models are the SIG Sauer P226, Smith & Wesson 5906, and the Glock 19. However, nowhere does it specifically state what the ESU carries.
I would personally assume for an airsoft rendition that a Glock 17 with a SureFire M3 TacLite would suffice (the Glock 19 is too small for my hand), but I thought I'd see if someone was better informed than I before I start shelling out massive amounts of money to pick up the right equipment.