# Gun in Your Desk While In the Station?



## msw (Jul 19, 2004)

My wife wanted to know about this, wanted me to ask&#8230;&#8230; and I originally thought I'd just PM BxDetSgt and ask, but thought others might be curious and like to discuss it, so:

Do NYPD Detectives really take their guns off and put them in their desk drawer when they get back to the squad room, like they do on TV? And if that is common practice, why? Seems like all the NYPD *TV* Detectives do that, as well as on some other TV cop shows. Virtually every Detective at my agency that I have ever known - as well as Detectives at other West Coast departments I am familiar with - just keep their gun in their holster on their hip at all times, even in the Station (unless going into a lock-up or interview room with a suspect.) Do any Detectives at other agencies routinely take their gun off and put it in their desk while in the station house?


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Might increase the frequency of a "desk pop."


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## Fuzzywuzzy (Aug 15, 2013)

Check out the 1951 film "Detective Story" with Kirk Douglas. This is sort of a part in the plot line which takes place in NYC. Whenever a detective gets in close proximity to an arrested dirtbag he unholsters his "gat" and puts it in a front pants pocket. Tragedy ensues when a cop fails to follow this rule.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

LOL, sometimes for comfort I do. I always do when I have to take a "personal".


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

BxDetSgt said:


> LOL, sometimes for comfort I do. I always do when I have to take a "personal".


Can't get a more accurate answer direct from the source than that!


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## sgtmike1980 (Jun 4, 2016)

When I was a Detective I never did that, and if I was taking a shit, I had it with me in the stall.


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## msw (Jul 19, 2004)

Over the decades, on our Dept, we've had a few incidents where miscreants have walked into the front door of our stations and begun shooting. Most - though not all - of our Stations are single story (or at most two story), with the Detective units on the first (ground) floor. And at least in years past, particularly in our older stations, the "public counter" was not behind any protective glass or barrier, often with other offices and the meanderings of some of the personnel in the building at least partially visible by anyone who comes in the front door. I recall a story from the early 1980's where someone walked into the public lobby of one of our stations and opened fire with a handgun. No station personnel were hurt and this individual was quickly sent to his maker by multiple Deputies who were present. But in the immediate aftermath, a Sergeant who typically didn't wear his gun in the station was discovered hiding under a desk in the lobby. Not a good image, and many got a good chuckle out of it for years to come. So I think perhaps the reason Deps on our Dept are rarely found without their weapon on them inside the station may have to do with a combination of "organizational culture" (and memory of past shootings by people walking into the public areas of our facilities and opening fire) coupled with the single story layout - and hence more "easy access" to everywhere within - of most of our facilities. As compared to NYC, where I believe many (most?) of the Detective Squads are not on the ground floor, and hence anyone who wanted to get up there and start shooting, would have to get past many uniformed/armed cops on the ground floor. But hey, that's just a guess on my part! As for comfort, after 40+ years of carrying a gun on my hip, off duty, on duty, walking, driving in a car, and even in an LE airplane or helicopter, the rare _absence_ of a gun on my hip now is what I find uncomfortable!


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

It should be noted that my office is not in a pct., it only houses detective units, and does not regularly have perps or witts walking around. Also, my office is on the upper floors and is private. When I worked out of a Pct. it was much different. But I do like the comfort of taking it off when sitting at the desk.


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## MPD703 (Sep 25, 2004)

I have seen admin and detectives lock up/put the gun in the desk. It is fairly common in some fed agencies that I have worked with. I always thought it was pushing your luck. I have know one or two people who walked out leaving the gun in the desk only to step into a mess where they needed it.


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Knew one guy that used to leave it in a file cabinet because he didn't want to take it home.

One of the management types found it and that didn't go over well. They now have dedicated gun lockers


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

I leave mine on the front seat of the cruiser so that when I get in for my next shift, it's waiting for me. This has been true with each of the replacement guns they've bought for me.


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