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By
Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes
Ask any good, seasoned patrol officer the
importance of maintaining your everyday
equipment and you might get a response like “Do
cars need gas to run? Or, does a marathon
runner need shoes to run in?” Having clean,
up-to-date equipment such as a charged Taser or
a full can of OC spray is important, but not
nearly as important as maintaining your duty
weapon. You don’t have to be an expert firearms
instructor, a Tactical Commander or even be a
gun crazy cop to know how to maintain a clean
duty weapon. Ask any field training officer if
he stresses the importance of a clean,
functional weapon to his or her rookies, and I
bet you will be hard pressed to find one that
does not.
Basic skills should have been taught to you in
the academy on weapons upkeep as well as upkeep
of your everyday duty gear. A veteran officer
knows that maintaining perhaps the most
important piece of equipment that you may have
to rely on to save your life or the life of
someone else doesn’t take an expert, only
consistency and responsibility.
Every officer should know the workings of
his/her duty weapon, and know how to properly
field strip and re-assemble their weapon after
a proper cleaning. I love the hobby of
collecting handguns. I am not a firearms
expert, but I can tell you from years and years
on the street, that choosing a duty weapon and
sticking to that same make and model will
benefit you in a life threatening situation. I
know my duty weapon, a Sig Sauer P220, .45
caliber handgun better than I know any other
gun that I own. I know the exact feel of each
and every trigger pull, the way the gun feels
when I decock it, and when the slide falls with
a round in the chamber.
Having the proper cleaning supplies is a must,
and I recommend a separate cleaning kit
specifically for your duty weapon, where
everything in the kit is designed to clean your
best friend. Solvent, gun oil, even some WD-40,
frame brushes and bore brushes and a good
cleaning cloth will keep your trusted partner
operational for years. And, if you have been on
the street for awhile, or have spent many a
round through your barrel, have an expert do a
routine inspection on your weapon every few
months. A new recoil spring that may cost you
$50 bucks is a small investment when the time
may come for it not to fail you.
Most law enforcement agencies are full of
officer’s that are experts in firearms. If you
are like me, not one of them, seek out their
expertise on firearms maintenance. Then, with
that nice, perfectly cleaned and operational
best friend of yours, get your butt to the
firing range so that you can return the favor
to your weapon, by being just as reliable to
the gun as the gun will be to you.
Stay safe, serve proud, and go home at the end
of the day.
About the Author
Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes has over 17 years of law enforcement experience. He has a BA in Criminal Justice and is currently completing his master’s degree
in Public Administration. Additionally,
he is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas; has a Master Police Peace Officer Certificate from
the State of Texas; and, has a Police Instructor’s Licenses from the State of Texas.
Currently, Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes is a member of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office (Texas) where he is a
senior sergeant in the patrol operations. Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes is the author
of Secrets of Successful
Highway Interdiction. According to
Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes, “After 17 years of highway drug interdiction, 500 felony arrests, 5,100 pounds in drug seizures,
and over $20 million (drugs, cash and vehicles), I have learned a lot of drug-busting techniques that I want to share with
you.” His book, Secrets of Successful Highway Interdiction, contains eleven chapters on Highway Drug Interdiction.
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