BOF Approves 57 New Guns For Police

Wednesday night, the Board of Finance approved a $9,000 appropriation to buy 57 new handguns for the Waterford Police Department.

The current guns, .40 caliber Glocks, are 14 years old. Over the last few years, they began to break down, and that is too big of a chance to take, Waterford Police Chief Murray Pendleton said.

“The issues were becoming way too frequent,” Pendleton said. “There is no room for a question with that.”

The $9,000 will come out of another part of the police budget, so the department should still stay The overall cost of the guns is $19,000, or $331 per gun, but the police will return their old guns for a $10,000 rebate.

Specifics

Before 1997, Waterford Police used 9-millimeter handguns, according to a letter by police officer and firearm instructor Robert Strohl. In 1997, the unit went to .40 caliber Glocks, because they were cheaper and easier to handle, Pendleton said.

The new guns will again be .40 caliber Glocks, and should last 15 years, Pendleton said. Originally, the department looked to repair its guns, but that would have cost $19,000 without any rebate, he said.

The department has 47 officers, but will buy 57 guns, Pendleton said. The extra guns are needed in case a gun breaks, or has to be confiscated for evidence, he said.

The guns come with a Trijicon night sight, a radioactive strip that lights up the sight so officers can see at night or in the dark, according to police documents.

The police department saved $9,000 after a new HVAC system was installed, saving the department money on repairs, Pendleton said.

After some discussion, the Board of Finance unanimously approved the appropriation.