After a gun battle that had many worried that Texas cops are outgunned, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle has announced that police officers will be allowed to purchase their own AR-15 semiautomatic rifles for patrol.
Although the department has said it is already in negotiations to purchase 65 AR-15s for the department’s patrol officers, they won’t be available until April. In the interim, cops will be able to buy their own to maintain their safety.
The weapons must be department-approved models and officers must attend a 40-hour training course before using the rifle on duty.
The Plano (Texas) Police Department will also allow its officers to purchase their own AR-15s and keep them in their patrol cars.