How common is the Remington 870 in police service?

166 of 189 agencies with a sourced duty shotgun (87.8%) issue the Remington 870, the #1 shotgun family in the index.

Which states have the most agencies using the Remington 870?

California (75), Virginia (10), Maryland (8) and Oklahoma (5). Agencies in 40 states plus federal agencies have a sourced 870 entry. State counts follow where the index has the most sourced agencies, so they are not a census.

Which agencies stopped using the Remington 870?

5 agencies list the 870 as previously issued and no longer have a current 870 entry, including Miami Police Department (Oklahoma), South Bend Police Department and Virginia State Police. The most common replacement is the Benelli SuperNova (1 of them).

Which police departments use the Remington 870?

Short answer: 166 agencies in the index currently issue the Remington 870, including Federal Bureau of Prisons, Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Dallas Police Department. That is 87.8% of agencies with a sourced duty shotgun, the #1 shotgun in the index. 5 more agencies list it as previously issued and no longer carry it. See the most common police shotgun for the full ranking.

Data coverage: Based on 166 agencies in the Duty Arms Index with a current, sourced Remington 870 entry, any role except SWAT/tactical-unit listings (every Remington 870 entry: 870 Police, 870 Express and other 870 variants). Shares are of 189 agencies with a sourced duty shotgun. Counts include only current entries with a public source; agencies not yet in the index, or without a sourced entry for this item, are not counted, so treat shares as a picture of the Duty Arms Index, not of every agency. Data last updated Oct 10, 2026.

166

Agencies issuing it

87.8%

Share of duty shotguns

39 + federal

States

Previously issued (dropped)

How agencies issue it

Each agency counted once, under its highest role for the 870.

Primary duty138 (83.1%)
Other / authorized28 (16.9%)

By agency type

Local police138
Sheriff's office17
State police / highway patrol5
Federal2
Special jurisdiction4

Variants and generations

As named in each agency's source.

Agencies that stopped issuing the Remington 870 (5)

Agencies with a sourced previous 870 entry and no current one, newest change first (year shown where the source dates it), with the duty shotgun they carry now. Most common replacement: Benelli SuperNova (1).

Agency	Previously	Carries now
Miami Police Department (Oklahoma)OK · until 2026	Remington 870 Police	not yet sourced
South Bend Police DepartmentIN · until 2025	Remington 870	not yet sourced
Virginia State PoliceVA · until 2019	Remington 870 Police	Benelli SuperNova
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police DepartmentNV	Remington 870	not yet sourced
Pennsylvania State PolicePA	Remington 870 Police	not yet sourced

Remington 870 agencies by state

Every agency with a current, sourced 870 entry, largest first. Each links to its loadout, sources and history.

Frequently asked

Which police departments use the Remington 870?: 166 law enforcement agencies in the Duty Arms Index currently issue the Remington 870, including Federal Bureau of Prisons, Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Dallas Police Department. The list covers every Remington 870 entry: 870 Police, 870 Express and other 870 variants.
How common is the Remington 870 in police service?: 166 of 189 agencies with a sourced duty shotgun (87.8%) issue the Remington 870, the #1 shotgun family in the index.
Which states have the most agencies using the Remington 870?: California (75), Virginia (10), Maryland (8) and Oklahoma (5). Agencies in 40 states plus federal agencies have a sourced 870 entry. State counts follow where the index has the most sourced agencies, so they are not a census.
Which agencies stopped using the Remington 870?: 5 agencies list the 870 as previously issued and no longer have a current 870 entry, including Miami Police Department (Oklahoma), South Bend Police Department and Virginia State Police. The most common replacement is the Benelli SuperNova (1 of them).