Peachtree City police will be getting new sidearms for a song by trading in its current stock weapons for the new Glock 17 and Glock 26 models.
The police department will have to pay $2,236 to complete the swap, which will standardize the department with 9mm rounds for all handguns, saving 20 percent on the purchase of ammunition as well.
The department will be trading in its current Sig Sauer P220 (.45 caliber) and Glock 27 (9mm) models as part of the deal.
The new weapons were chosen after an evaluation conducted by the department’s firearms instructors, according to Police Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark. The Glock models were chosen due to its ease of serviceability and interchangeability of parts, Clark said.
Also the new Glock models allow more consistent shot to shot trigger pressure which will help improve shooting accuracy and help teach shooting fundamentals to newer shooters, Clark noted.
The new weapons also have adjustable back straps that allow for modifications based on the individual shooter’s hands to improve grip and control of the weapon, Clark said.
The theory is that shot placement is more important than the caliber of the bullet, Clark told the Peachtree City Council last week.
Councilman Mike King said one of his concerns is that when it comes to service weapons one size does not fit all, but Clark said that would be addressed via the customizability of the weapon.
In fact, the one-size-fits-all dilemma had led to some shooters struggling at times to qualify each year under the current weapons.
As for the new weapons, “We did testing on the range and took all our shooters with large hands, small hands, male and female,” Clark said.
It was noted that the department does not issue each officer a backup weapon but they can use their own as long as it meets department specifications.
King said he appreciated the department being able to swing the swap for relatively little cash. The $2,236 price will come out of the department’s existing budget.
Councilman Terry Ernst, a longtime police officer, noted that when he started policing 21 years ago he had a 9mm weapon but then he later transitioned to a .40 caliber, then a .45 caliber sidearm.
Clark noted that he started in 1978 with a “.38 special” revolver and then went up to a .357 magnum and others.
