Sworn and non-sworn members are issued law enforcement equipment to conduct their duties. Some members who may wish to privately purchase additional law enforcement equipment that is authorized, but not necessarily issued such as: firearms, high capacity magazines, ammunition, and less lethal weapons. Oftentimes these items known as “law enforcement only,” are otherwise restricted or prohibited from being purchased by the general public. Merchants or dealers may require a letter of identification to determine a member’s employment status and authorization to purchase and/or possess the law enforcement only items.
The following shall apply when employment verification is required by the dealer to purchase law enforcement only equipment. The member shall submit a request for such a letter on an SH-AD-32A to their unit commander that includes the following:
Unit commanders shall ensure that the employee requesting law enforcement only equipment is authorized to possess and is properly trained in the use of the item. If the employee is purchasing the equipment prior to training, the employee shall not be authorized to utilize the equipment (except during an authorized training class) until training is properly completed.
Authorized equipment shall be determined from the MPP, Volume 3, Chapter 3 – Uniform and Safety Equipment. Unit commanders shall determine Department authorized firearms from the current list of approved weapons maintained by the Weapons Training Unit.
When law enforcement only equipment is to be privately purchased and delivered by a merchant or dealer, pursuant to a letter of identification, only that member for whom the letter was prepared shall take personal delivery from the merchant or dealer. Such delivery shall be taken only upon completion of required State and Federal transaction records by the merchant or dealer.
Unit commanders are authorized to approve and prepare a letter of identification for law enforcement only equipment authorized for on-duty or off-duty use. Identification letters for law enforcement only equipment shall be prepared on Department letterhead from the unit commander to the merchant or dealer. The letter of identification shall specify the employee, their position and employment status, and the equipment they are authorized to purchase. The letter of identification shall specify that the equipment shall be purchased and delivered according to applicable law and, in the case of a firearm purchase, shall not be deemed a waiver of the 10-day waiting period pursuant to Penal Code section 26815.
The following shall apply when a sworn member wants to purchase a firearm and requests an exemption to the 10-day waiting period pursuant to Penal Code section 26950(a) and as defined in Penal Code section 26815. It is the policy of the Department not to provide waivers of the statutory 10-day waiting period; however, when the need to take delivery of an authorized firearm is urgent, concerned unit commanders may submit a separate request for a letter of authorization on an SH-AD-32A to their division chief or division director. Such requests will be evaluated and, if deemed valid, the division chief or division director shall submit the request to the Sheriff who may approve and sign a letter authorizing the firearms merchant or dealer to waive the 10-day waiting period.
The waiver letter shall be prepared on Department letterhead from the Sheriff to the merchant or dealer. The waiver letter shall authorize the sale or transfer of a firearm waiving the 10-day waiting period pursuant to Penal Code 26815. It shall contain the employee’s name, position, and verification of peace officer status pursuant to Penal Code 830. The make and model of the firearm requested and that it is authorized for the member to carry such firearm while in the performance of their duties. Upon delivery of the firearm, the member shall present their law enforcement identification along with the letter as part of the registration process.
No member shall cause or permit any firearm that has been purchased under any circumstances, to be recorded as sold or registered to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.