In 2021, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) in California transitioned its sidearm from the Smith & Wesson M&P Gen 1 to the SIG P320 Carry equipped with a 3 MOA Romeo1 Pro RDS. I wrote this article about the training program put into place to support both the move to a new platform and the transition from iron sights to RDS.
The SMCSO made another transition this year, which presents an opportunity to revisit how agencies can be successful in making that type of change. This is part one of a two-part series on how agencies can:
- Successfully select and move to a new sidearm platform.
- Institute a comprehensive training program by learning from the experts.
- Instill confidence in your sworn personnel to de-escalate situations, knowing they can protect themselves and the public if needed.
- Address issues involving officers whose hands don’t fit the issued sidearm or want to carry a different sidearm on duty.
According to Lt. David Weidner, who served as rangemaster at the time of the transition, SMCSO drafted one of the first POST-certified RDS instructor classes in California and began teaching it to local police agencies. Word of mouth led SMCSO to win the contract to teach all range staff at the California DOJ. After continued positive feedback, SMCSO range staff taught dozens of agencies and hundreds of law enforcement instructors about the benefits of RDS and how to transition to them.
While this article won’t go into the details, in 2025 the SMCSO decided that running the P320 was no longer viable and a program was put in place to source a different platform. During the 2021 evaluation to replace the M&P Series 1, backup contenders to the chosen SIG sidearm were the M&P 2.0 and a Glock 45, both with Holosun optics. To speed the transition from the P320, the latest versions of the two sidearms were chosen for reevaluation — this time, the M&P 2.0 with an ACRO and the Glock G45 Gen5 COA.
Replacement criteria
Price point, integration and availability of manufacturer-provided parts and service were the top considerations and the GLOCKxAimpoint integrated package won out.
Lt. Weidner began searching for a vendor who could supply Glock 45 pistols with as little lead time as possible. Glock normally has a 90-day queue when an order is placed, but there was a longer lead time for its Gen6 line. Following agency policies and a competitive purchasing process, the decision was made to source Gen5 pistols.
The Glock G45
Like the P320 Carry previously in use by the SMCSO, the Glock 45 is a hybrid, with the shorter slide of the G19 mounted on top of the longer grip of the G17 and a capacity of 17+1 rounds.
Up top, the Aimpoint COA RDS is an ultra-compact, enclosed pistol optic that features a 3.5 MOA dot and more than five years of battery life. When first introduced, the Aimpoint COA was offered exclusively on Glock pistols as part of a handgun package, using a custom A-CUT interface that mounts the optic deeper into the pistol slide than separate firearm/sight combinations. The deep slide cut and low-profile design make for easier unholstering, enhancing usability and concealment capabilities.
The Streamlight TLR-1 HL weaponlight was moved from each deputy’s prior sidearm, and Safariland Ballast level 3 duty holsters were selected.
Deputy-owned duty sidearms
No matter what sidearm was selected for official issue, Lt. Weidner understood that because people vary in stature and hand size, one sidearm could not fit all. While the SMCSO does not endorse one firearm or optic over another, SMCSO leadership supported giving each deputy the ability to choose from a wide selection of duty guns and optics that were tried and true and tested for reliability. SMCSO’s written policy, dated November 12, 2025, lists these preapproved firearms for sworn staff members:
- Glock 9mm
- Smith & Wesson M&P Series 9mm
- SIG Sauer P Series 9mm (excluding all P320 Series)
- Walther PDP Series 9mm
- Staccato 9mm or 2011 Platform 9mm
If a deputy wants to carry their own approved sidearm, they are responsible for purchasing and maintaining the firearm and holster. The firearm may not be altered from original factory specifications except for an approved optic, grips, factory performance triggers, or a micro compensator system, when approved by the rangemaster. Before carrying the firearm, it must be thoroughly inspected by the rangemaster and must be equipped with a red dot optic.
Additionally, deputies carrying any sidearm other than the agency- issued Glock 45 must be trained specifically to use that weapon and demonstrate safe handling. Deputies carrying a single-action pistol, such as a 1911 or 2011, must achieve a qualification score of 90%, versus 80% for deputies carrying a striker-fired sidearm. Taken together, these requirements mean deputies who want to carry a personally owned sidearm are more invested in developing a high level of shooting proficiency.
Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself what personally owned sidearms tend to show up on deputies’ hips. Of SMCSO personnel, 217 are qualified on and carry the Glock 45 as a primary duty weapon; 19 are qualified on and carry the Staccato 2011; and eight carry other sidearms on the authorized list. At the time this article was written, a handful of deputies are on a waitlist to take the Staccato transition class (see below).
What seems to be trending?
As a POST-certified firearms instructor, I take a special interest in what law enforcement officers are carrying when I interact with them. I’m a volunteer with the SMCSO Emergency Services Bureau (ESB) and on my details with sworn personnel, I began noticing a lot of hammer-fired sidearms that didn’t look like 1911s, Beretta 92s or anything else I’d seen before. These weapons had large grips and what appeared to be even larger magazines with metal baseplates. I got nosy and found out about the Staccato 2011.
When I asked Lt. Weidner about seeing more Staccatos than the other brands on the approved list, he told me the history of the 2011 with the SMCSO. He knew that several of Staccato’s firearms were designed in collaboration with elite law enforcement teams to deliver duty-ready pistols that offer precision, shootability and dependability right out of the box.
Accuracy is important to law enforcement officers because they need to be aware of what lies beyond their target during any critical incident. Like thousands of law enforcement teams, the SMCSO range staff appreciated the accuracy and performance of Staccato sidearms and knew they could be trusted while on duty.
Although the SMCSO does not endorse any firearm or optic over another, several range staff bought the Model P after running demo Staccatos at the range. As deputies came through training and saw what the range staff were carrying and how well they were shooting, many also picked one up. A professional working relationship formed between the two organizations and continues to this day.
Like other deputy-owned weapons, Staccatos must be purchased directly from the manufacturer or a distributor along with an approved optic. SMCSO range staff will properly mount the optics before the deputies zero them. After that, a deputy’s performance determines whether they will be allowed to carry one.
Because of the substantial difference in the manual of arms for a hammer-fired versus striker-fired sidearm, any deputy who wants to carry a Staccato must attend an eight-hour in-house transition class to familiarize themselves with the thumb safety and proper manipulation of the gun.
If a deputy fails to meet the required 90% qualification score, they get one immediate “do-over” on the spot. If they fail that one too, they are issued a Glock 45 and their Staccato goes into their home safe.
Building confidence leads to de-escalation
Yes, this started out as a firearm article, but with SMCSO leadership’s focus on the importance of de-escalation, the agency has also implemented specialized training using the AXON Virtual Reality (VR) training system.
This system supports scenarios involving the TASER 10 as well as simulated pistol use. The scenarios cover a wide range of incidents that police face today, including building searches and mental health calls for service, with an emphasis on de-escalation.
Two of the biggest advantages of the AXON VR system are that it provides a 360-degree immersive environment and it is mobile, making it easy for the training unit to bring the simulator directly to deputies.
For example, trainers can drive from the range, located on the San Francisco Bay, to the Sheriff’s Substation on the Pacific Ocean with a couple of VR headsets and run realistic scenarios that help strengthen weapons proficiency, de-escalation techniques and decision-making skills.
Through dry fire, live fire and virtual training, deputies have the confidence to engage a suspect if they need to. Instead of dwelling on whether they can accurately take the shot if needed, they can instead concentrate on using their de-escalation training to help prevent situations from getting out of hand.
Summary
Part 1 of this two-part article covered the basics of selecting a new sidearm, the sidearm selected and the option of allowing officers to carry other sidearms based on fit or preference. It also explained why additional transition courses and higher qualification scores may be required for sidearms with different manuals of arms. We ended with the importance of de-escalation training and how SMCSO implemented it for its deputies.
Part 2 will address:
- How to achieve officer confidence through comprehensive, expert training.
- Why rangemasters need to budget for firearms training staff to attend classes by master instructors.
- Why firearms training staff need to be open to learning new teaching methods and changing what they teach based on new best practices.
- Detailed descriptions and videos of firearms training provided by SMCSO to its deputies, which may serve as a resource for your range staff.
| More from Ron LaPedis: Beyond firearms: SHOT Show tools for tactical and operational policing
