ROODHOUSE PD to get new service weapons
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By Carmen Ensinger
The Roodhouse Police Department will be getting new service pistols after the current models they carry have been deemed to be unsafe.
Police Chief Kyle Robison informed the city council at the May 27 meeting that their current pistol, the SIG P320, is no longer being accepted at the training academy due to liability issues regarding unintended discharge.
“This particular firearm has been a good weapon for us, overall, but there have been alleged issues of this particular firearm firing while still inside the holster,” Robison said. “Obviously, I have never had any experience like that but our training academy and some of the training that we go to is not accepting that particular model for us to carry while at those training events.”
Robison said there are multiple agencies in the local area who are discontinuing use of this particular model, including Jacksonville Police Department, and it is time that Roodhouse makes the switch as well.
Robison said the weapon of choice for many departments these days is the Glock. Currently, the Secretary of State Police, the State Police and the Department of Corrections all carry Glock’s.
“I had someone come down and go through their service models and test some of them out,” he said. “The current model that we are looking at is the Glock 17, which is a Gen. 6 and the law enforcement price is $807 each.”
The department needs a total of six for a total of $4,842.
Former Police Chief and current Council Member Steve Speeks was all for the purchase of the new guns, however, he wanted to stipulate that he did not want Roodhouse Police Officers to be able to purchase these guns once they are traded in.
“I have seen in the media where officers are taking their guns and holding them by the slide and they go off by themselves,” Speeks said. “Like Kyle said, most places won’t even deal with these guns. I would strongly recommend that we get rid of these guns and I strongly recommend we do not allow any of our officers to purchase any of these guns back from where you are trading them in at.”
Robison said the trade-in amount offered for the guns is minimal.
“We can trade them in and they will only give us $200 each for those weapons,” he said. “They won’t sell them to another law enforcement agency – they sell them to a particular dealer and it says right on their quote that they have an issue selling these guns.”
Because it was not on the agenda for a vote, the council could only take a consensus vote, which was unanimous that Robison should order the guns.
Robison said they have had their current firearms for about three or four years. Normally, they are replaced every five or six years.
“We go to a lot of training sessions so these have seen a lot of use,” Robison said. “It is probably going to take a couple of months for the new Glocks to come in.”
Another item that wasn’t on the agenda but was approved through a consensus vote was for the purchase of a handheld radar gun at a cost of $1,057.28.
Robison said he wanted the handheld model so it could be passed back and forth between the squad cars. The idea is to use it on the side streets to slow down speeders.
