10-17-2008, 11:01 AM
Sheriff's Office spends $700,000 on handguns
By Jerome Burdi and Maria Herrera | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 17, 2008
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has spent $700,000 to buy 1,500 guns for deputies.
Deputies will be issued the .40-caliber Glock handguns on Monday. In the past, deputies paid for their own firearms and could choose from a list of approved weapons that included .357-caliber, .38-caliber and 9 mm handguns. The Sheriff's Office provides the ammunition.
Requiring deputies to use the same gun and ammunition makes sense, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
"It's more cost effective because you don't have to buy different types of ammunition," he said. "It saves you money in the budget. It saves you money on training."
Bradshaw said it's also important in the event of an extended gun battle because deputies can share ammunition.
Only a few deputies complained that they did not want to switch guns because they think the Glocks are too big, said John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association. But there are smaller models, he said, so it should work out.
"There were too many guns out there that were authorized," Kazanjian said. "It was crazy. We're good with it and the majority [of deputies] are."
By the numbers
$700,000
What Sheriff's Office spent for sidearms
1,500
Number of guns bought
By Jerome Burdi and Maria Herrera | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 17, 2008
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has spent $700,000 to buy 1,500 guns for deputies.
Deputies will be issued the .40-caliber Glock handguns on Monday. In the past, deputies paid for their own firearms and could choose from a list of approved weapons that included .357-caliber, .38-caliber and 9 mm handguns. The Sheriff's Office provides the ammunition.
Requiring deputies to use the same gun and ammunition makes sense, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
"It's more cost effective because you don't have to buy different types of ammunition," he said. "It saves you money in the budget. It saves you money on training."
Bradshaw said it's also important in the event of an extended gun battle because deputies can share ammunition.
Only a few deputies complained that they did not want to switch guns because they think the Glocks are too big, said John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association. But there are smaller models, he said, so it should work out.
"There were too many guns out there that were authorized," Kazanjian said. "It was crazy. We're good with it and the majority [of deputies] are."
By the numbers
$700,000
What Sheriff's Office spent for sidearms
1,500
Number of guns bought