Jeff,
I've swapped all my followers out as well and do use the Mag Pull which I think is best, but not because I was having any particular problems with any of the mish mosh of mags I’ve collected over the years. I was shooting PPC three gun at the time and I think I was just playing follow the leader with spend your money.
Having used the M-16 and many of it's variants for more than two decades; I can't say that any followers had a big problem if you kept everything clean and didn’t over oil. I'm guessing at the end of your training regardless of the followers that came standard, you will not have had any failures to feed from the follower canting.
Even the original design worked OK once the parkerizing rubbed smooth although it didn't like sand a whole lot, the new Teflon coated and plastic followers with higher lubricity seem a bit easier to load and I’m sure are better, but main problem with jams on these guys has always been dirt getting into the magazine before you put it in the weapon, poor quality ammo or cartridges with dented projectiles or casings.
Your mileage may very, but especially with department issue, if it isn't broken don't fix it. What make is your AR? Also, what kind of ammo are they issuing and having you practice with?
If they will let you modify at all, I’d highly recommend a sight like an Acog, Elican or Eotech ( I have an Eotech and love it), a good mounted flashlight rocks and combined with a laser is even better. The cost of these lights has come way down as tough LED’s have replaced the complicated shock isolating xenon bulb style. Replacing the front post with a tritium sight is a must if you don’t get an illuminated sight to add.
