(ID) Madison Co. deputies switch weapons choice

[Drizzt]

Idaho Falls Post Register (Idaho Falls, Idaho)


April 12, 2003 Saturday

SECTION: The_West; Pg. a7

LENGTH: 265 words

HEADLINE: Madison Co. deputies switch weapons choice

BYLINE: ALLISON KING, Post Register

BODY:
REXBURG - The Madison County Sheriff's Department is now even more armed and dangerous.

The department is abandoning its traditional Berettas for the Glock model 22, a .40-caliber polymer handgun with very high accuracy. The department switched because deputies needed a newer, better performing weapon, Sgt. Travis Williams said. The Beretta 96 they had been relying on is close to 10 years old and was requiring frequent servicing. The newer Glocks are outfitted with an accessory rail for a small aiming light, which was appealing to the department, he said.

The Glock, a semiautomatic pistol, is used by almost half of all U.S. law-enforcement agencies, according to a report by Peter Kokalis, a gun expert who's written for Soldier of Fortune magazine.

The 22-ounce pistol (without a magazine) generally retails for upward of $500, according to Sportsman's Warehouse in Idaho Falls. Add in additional sights, lights, holsters and more, it can cost almost $600.

But the department was able to get all 18 handguns for less than $500. They traded in seized firearms and their older firearms and equipment the office did not use to compensate for costs. This way, Williams said, county residents will not be hit by the costs.

Residents who attend the Citizens Academy, scheduled at 7 p.m. April 23 at the sheriff's office, may get to try out the new guns and see firsthand the new equipment and technology.

Upper Valley Reporter Allison King may be contacted at the Post Register's Rexburg office at 656-0101, or via e-mail at [email protected].

 

[bountyhunter]

HMMMM..... they traded a Ber 96 for a gun with a plastic frame and an unsupported barrel in .40SW caliber? Oh, well. I guess price was the deciding factor (as it usually is). I wouldn't trade my Beretta for a Glock.

 

[chevrofreak]

yeah, those silly Glocks, they arent any better than a beretta

 

[DeltaElite]

What a shame that they had to endure Berettas all those years.
Finally they will have a reliable weapon.

 

[El Tejon]

A newspaper quoting the Pink Panther? Well, it is Idaho!

 

[Blueduck]

Residents who attend the Citizens Academy, scheduled at 7 p.m. April 23 at the sheriff's office, may get to try out the new guns and see firsthand the new equipment and technology.

Now this idea I like!

If they had more stuff like this it could build relationships with the community and help explain questions like "Why don't they just shoot the gun out of the crooks hand?"

 

[blades67]

The newer Glocks are outfitted with an accessory rail for a small aiming light, which was appealing to the department, he said.

The real reason for the new guns.

 

[KarlG]

"The 22-ounce pistol (without a magazine) generally retails for upward of $500, "

Why would anybody buy a gun without a magazine?

"But the department was able to get all 18 handguns for less than $500. "

What a deal, 18 guns for the price of one!

 

[Johnny Guest]

Couple of things I can't understand here - - -

I'm not a huge fan of the Beretta service pistols, but I would have thought they had an active service life of well over ten years.

The Glock 22 "generally retails for upward of $500, according to Sportsman's Warehouse in Idaho Falls. Add in additional sights, lights, holsters and more, it can cost almost $600." Hummm - - They must be getting a fantastic deal on the accessories. I can't picture outfitting a service pistol with all the bells-and-whistles peripherals for anything like $100.

Hey--It was in the newspaper. It MUTS be true, huh?


Johnny

 

[Robby from Long Island]

Like someone else said, why would anyone trade their Berettas for Glocks?

 

[jem375]

Gee, what a big police department......Robby, the reason is that they are cheaper..........

 

[e5c03]

10 yr life span,,,firearm for a peace officer that DOESN'T have a manual safty,,,,,guess all us die hard Colt style .45acp people should be dead and buried,,,,80+ and still going strong.Oh yeah if I got to chose ,,,,,,,,.45acp HK/SIG/Colt

 

[MLH]

10 Years?

No more than most police shoot their guns should last for a 1000 years!:banghead:

 

[Robby from Long Island]

I can't help but find it amusing. My 92FS is the first handgun I ever bought, over 12 years ago and it's condition is practically new.

I would venture to say I've fired a minimum of 2,000 rounds per year with no more maintenance than cleaning and lubing and haven't found it necessary to listen to a Glock sales rep convince me to jump on the bandwagon to buy a cheaper product.

Can't help but wonder how many police departments (their bean counting dept) have been sold on Glock simply because their bids are lower than the competition.

If the departments personnel can't get more than 10 years service out of their Beretta's, they ought to instruct them to clean than more than once every couple of years. JMHO.

Safe shooting.

 

[Sean Smith]

"Very high accuracy"? LOL!