Historically, private citizens have, to a significant degree, modeled their sporting rifle choices after what their nation’s military carries, and their handgun choices after what their nation’s police carry. Among the cops themselves, the FBI is a major trend-setter, and at the state level, state police agencies tend to be bellwether “adopters” whose choices are often followed by county and municipal agencies within the given state’s jurisdiction.

When I was a kid, troopers nationwide carried revolvers. There were two brand choices, Colt and Smith & Wesson. In the state where I grew up, New Hampshire, the troopers carried big S&W Model 27 .357 Magnums with six-inch barrels in flapped swivel holsters. In Florida, the primary state police issue was a special-order, nickel plated five-inch barrel Colt Trooper (appropriately named, huh?) in the same caliber, in a cross-draw holster. And if you worked for the Illinois State Police or the California Highway Patrol, you had your choice of Colt or Smith & Wesson, in .38 Special or .357 Magnum chambering. Not until 1967 did the Illinois State Police become the first major law enforcement agency in the USA to adopt a semiautomatic pistol, the 9mm Smith & Wesson Model 39.

A whole lot of water has since gone under that bridge. Before the turn of the 21st Century, every state police agency in the country was issuing a semiautomatic pistol – like pretty much all the rest of the law dogs nationwide. My friend Mike Wood has been keeping track of issue SP handguns, and was kind enough to send me his current list. Here it is:

Alabama Glock 22/23 (.40 S&W)

Alaska Glock 22/23 (.40 S&W)

Arizona FNH FNS (.40 S&W)

Arkansas Glock 21SF (State Police), Glock 22 (S.P. Highway Patrol) (.45 ACP, .40 S&W)

California S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

Colorado S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

Connecticut Sig P220 (.45 ACP)

Delaware Sig P229 (.357Sig)

Florida Glock 37 (.45 GAP)

Georgia Glock 37 (.45 GAP)

Hawaii (DPS) Sig P320 (9mm)

Idaho Glock 21 (.45 ACP) or Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Illinois Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Indiana Sig P227 (.45 ACP)

Iowa S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

Kansas Glock 21 (.45 ACP)

Kentucky Glock 35 (.40 S&W)

Lousiana Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Maine HK USP (.45 ACP)

Maryland Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Massachusetts S&W M&P (.45 ACP)

Michigan Glock 17 (9mm)

Minnesota Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Mississippi Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Missouri Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Montana Sig P229 (.357Sig)

Nebraska Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Nevada Sig P229 (.40 S&W)

New Hampshire S&W M&P (.45 ACP)

New Jersey Glock 19 (9mm)

New Mexico S&W M&P (.357 Sig)

New York Glock 37 (.45 GAP)

North Carolina Sig P226(.357 Sig)

North Dakota Sig P320 (9mm)

Ohio Sig P229/P226 (.40 S&W)

Oklahoma Sig P320 (9mm)

Oregon S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

Pennsylvania Sig Sauer P227 (.45 ACP)

Rhode Island Sig P229 (.357Sig)

South Carolina Glock 37 (.45 GAP)

South Dakota Sig P229 (.357 Sig)

Tennessee Glock 31 (.357Sig)

Texas S&W M&P (9mm) (currently having problems–under review)

Utah Glock 22 (.40 S&W) (with approved options in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP)

Vermont S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

Virginia Sig P229RDAK (.357Sig)

Washington S&W M&P (.40 S&W)

West Virginia S&W 4566TSW (.45 ACP)

Wisconsin Glock 22 (.40 S&W)

Wyoming Glock 35 (.40 S&W)

To update the list, I believe Georgia has gone from the Glock 37 in .45 GAP to the Glock 17 in 9mm with Speer 124 grain +P 9mm ammo, and word is that South Carolina is also switching from the G37 to the G17. Texas troopers I talked with told me they were less than thrilled with the idea of going down from their powerful .357 SIGs to 9mm (in the SIG P320 version, not the S&W after all apparently). 9mm is the least powerful handgun US police are generally allowed to wear in uniform , and Texas troopers I’ve talked with are clinging to their .357 SIG P226 pistols for so long as they’ll be allowed.