Policy Text
Univ ersity of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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4.3 Use of Force
4.3.8 Personally -Owned Firearms (Revised : 8/13/20 )
A. Personally -Owned Firearms Carried On Duty
1. The Police Department issues a professional quality firearm to all officers. The
use of personally -owned firearms as the primary firearm while on duty must be
approved by the Chief of Police , pursuant to Section (A)(2) of this G eneral Order,
“Approval Procedure for Personally -owned Firearm to Be Carried On Duty −
Uniformed Patrol, Plainclothes or Uniformed Administrative Position. ”
a. An appr oved , personally -owned pistol carried while on uniformed patrol
shall be a professional quality, semi -automatic pistol in 9mm, .40 caliber
or .45 caliber, black or silver in color, with a barrel length of not less than
3.9 inches and no more than 5.5 inche s, DA/SA or DAO, with a minimum
trigger pull of 4 pounds, night sights, a minimum capacity of eight rounds
and no less than three magazines.
b. An approved , personally -owned duty holster shall be professional
quality , level II retention or higher, black, basket weave and leather or
synthetic.
c. An approved , personally -owned duty magazine case shall be black,
basket weave and leather or synthetic.
d. An approved , personally -owned , plain clothes or uniformed
administrative position pistol carried on duty sh all be a professional
quality, semi -automatic pistol in 9mm, .40 caliber or .45 caliber, with a
barrel length of not less than 3 inches and no more than 5.5 inches,
DA/SA or DAO, with a minimum trigger pull of 4 pounds, a minimum
capacity of eight rounds a nd no less than two magazines.
e. An approved , personally -owned , plainclothes or uniformed
administrative position holster shall be professional quality , level II
retention or higher and leather or synthetic.
2. Approval Procedure for Personally -Owned Firearm to Be Carried On Duty −
Uniformed Patrol, Plainclothes or Uniformed Administrative Position
a. For initial approval , the requesting officer will submit a “Personal ly
Owned Firearm Approval Request and Registration” form , along with the
firearm, holste r and magazine holders to the Police Department Range
Master for a safety inspection and test -firing. If the Police Department -
issued equipment is not compatible with the officer ’s personally -owned
firearm, the officer shall purchase appropriate equipment at his/her own
expense. This equipment must be consistent with the Police Department
uniform policy and approved by the Chief of Police.
b. The officer must pass a safe handling exercise and qualification shoot with
the firearm.
Univ ersity of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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c. The “Personal ly Owned Firearm Approval Request and Registration” form
will be forwarded by the Range Master to the Chief of Police via the chain
of command for final approval.
d. The original approval form will be placed in the officer ’s
personnel/training file with copies provi ded to the officer ’s immediate
supervisor and the officer .
e. The officer can begin carrying the firearm only after final approval is
given.
f. The Police Department will provide ammunition for the primary firearm
for training, re -qualification and duty u se.
3. Backup Firearm
a. Officers may carry a personally -owned backup firearm provided that:
(1) The officer has followed the approval procedure in Section 2,
above.
(2) The backup firearm is holstered and concealed only in conjunction
with the officer’s primary firearm and n ever alone as a primary
firearm.
(3) The officer has advised the Watch Commander that the officer
carries a backup firearm and where the firearm is holstered
(4) The backup firearm shall be a professional quality , double action
revolve r or a DA/SA or DAO semi-automatic pistol, .380 caliber o r
greater, with a barrel length no less than 2 inches and not more than
5.5 inches and a five-shot minimum capacity.
b. Officers are only authorized to use their backup firearm when their
primary fi rearm is unavailable due to extenuating circumstances ; i.e., the
duty firearm has malfunctioned or the officer has lost retention of the duty
firearm.
c. Approved backup firearms are required to use the same type of
Department -issued duty ammunition as ou tlined in General Order
4.3.7(C), "Authorized Firearms and Ammunition."
B. Personally -Owned Firearms for Carrying Off Duty
1. To obtain approval to carry a personally -owned firearm off duty, the firearm must
fit within the following guidelines:
a. Be a “p rofessional” qual ity double action revolver or a semi -automatic
pistol.
b. Caliber shall be .380 or greater .
c. Barrel length shall be at least 2 inches , but not more than 6 inches.
d. The firearm will have at least a 5 shot capacity.
2. All ammunition for personally -owned , off-duty firearms shall be provided by the
officer at the officer’s expense and shall fit within Department guidelines (listed
below)
a. .38 special, 125 grain, hollow point
Univ ersity of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders