We still issued dump boxes until like 1990 or so. I said no thanks and bought my own speedloaders and pouches.
We also issued the button on the side style Jordan holster, better known as the "suicide holster" by most guys.
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Holy crap, I was talking about the mid 70's. By 1990 my department had been approving and issuing autos for a couple years.
My department didn't issue holsters. Some guys bought 20 dollar Hecho in Mexico crap, and some of us spent 80-90 bucks in 1975 dollars for a Hoyt. With what the job paid then, that would be like the new guys spending $300-$350 on a holster today. Yet I hear some of them whine about having to spend $75 on one. Some things never change.
We were a bit on the slow side when it came to wheelguns, but one of the first agencies in our area to get semi-autos.
I had a 9mm in my holster (paid for myself, and it cost A LOT, as you have noted) before the guys I knew in KCMO were able to even get JHPs for their .38s, they carried SWCs at the time.