Right after being trained on how to use it, Waterford Police Sgt. James Dimmock wanted to show Chief Murray Pendleton what he could do with a sniper rifle.
So he shot a quarter from 100-yards away, and showed the chief. Pendleton liked the artifact and kept the quarter, which had a hole blown through it, so Dimmock shot another one.
“I keep it on me wherever I go,” he said. “I feel naked without it.”
Waterford has two sniper rifles, and two officers trained to use them, Dimmock and officer Rob Winters. The force also is increasing its number of M-4 rifles, while every officer still carries a .40-caliber glock and a shotgun is in every cruiser.
“We are actually getting away from the shotgun, and more to the rifle,” said Police Officer Robert Strohl, who is one of four officers who run the force’s gun department.
Strohl and Dimmock gave a presentation to members of the Thursday night. The two officers gave a presentation on when an officer uses his or her gun, and described the Waterford Police Department’s arsenal.
The Weapons
Recently, the town bought replacing officers' 14-year-old handguns. But the big push is to get more and more officers trained with an M-4 rifle, with 19 officers certified and equipped with the gun, Dimmock said.
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The rifle is preferred because an officer can shoot accurately from 100 yards, instead of a shotgun, which has a much shorter range, Dimmock said. Also a shotgun has a wide spray, and can be dangerous to use in most situations, he said.
Also, because of school shootings, the rifles are preferred, Dimmock said. An officer might have to shoot somebody down a long hallway, for example, and the rifle is a better gun for long distances, he said.
Officers have to recertify for their handguns every year by shooting a target from 25 yards away, Strohl said. But the training for rifles is much more intense, he said.
To become certified, officers go through a three-day training course with the rifle, and during that time they must carry the rifle on them at all times, Strohl said. And while for the test, officers stand still, in the training officers learn tactical measures and shoot while dodging and moving, he said.
For the rifle certification test, an officer begins in his or her cruiser, with the seat belt on and the rifle put away. Then in a minute they have to get out of the car and shoot a target 100 yards away with the rifle, Strohl said.
1. The sniper rifle looks nice, but is that a single shot bolt action in a .223 cal? why go with that and not a .308 Lapua? A lot more stopping power, little more pricey, but why does Waterford PD need 2 sniper rifles? I would have went with one and spent a little more on it. 2. I wish the state would ease up on homeowners and law abiding citizens and not make it so difficult and expensive ($400 before you get the pistol) for homeowners to own a handgun to protect themselves.
Also, Class III (NFA) weapons cannot be select fire. You can legally own an M-16 as long as the select fore is disabled. You can legally own a M60 machine gun, just as long as it isn not "select fire". Really? It's like saying you can own a car as long as it is not red. The only thing the law would do is eliminate red car sales. Laws made by idiots, that is the theme in CT. I wish all the gun manufactures in CT (there are a lot) would tell CT to remove all those insane and INEFFECTIVE laws or they will move down south.
and protect themselves from what?----if you're in a situation where you need a gun--then you need to change your surrounding even if you're in the right to should someone--be prepared to spend at least over $100,000 to get your but outta trouble(according to a group of lawyers at my gun club) I have a pistol permit---but leave my pistol at home---chances of something happening is next to nil----not worth the aggravation
I am referring to home invasions and muggings. Those can happen in very affluent neighborhoods. I would rather spend $100,000 trying to get out of jail than have my family collecting my life insurance policy. Take the Pettit family tradgedy. In my version of a perfect world, the two monsters who burned three innocent women alive in thier own home should have died of lead poisioning the minute they broke into the Pettit family home. Plus a lot of gun enthusiasts enjoy going to thier local gun club and shooting a pistol. It is my opinion that it should be cheaper and easier for law-abiding non-felons like you and I to aquire pistols. Paul, any info on that sniper rifle? Make and model? Looks like a reminton 700 series?