No, only now, the public had them, then the bad guys, then the cops.
There seemed to be a push after North Hollywood, but in the DFW area, the real push didn't seem to come until after their own dealings with full auto wielding bad guys a few years later.
This is one segment of the event...
WARNING - Foul language
http://www.break.com/usercontent/200...ine-gun-368204
Dallas OK'd AR15 patrol rifles later that year, IIRC, largely in response to this.
http://www.policeone.com/police-prod...ice-Outgunned/