Cromwell PD switching to G-22s

Middletown Press (Aug 29)

CROMWELL, CT. -- Police are requesting new service weapons, after a series of mechanical malfunctions that have raised concerns about officers? safety -- and the safety of the public.

The department currently uses Smith & Wesson 9 mm handguns. But Police Chief Anthony J. Salvatore said those weapons are now nearly 17 years old. "You?ve got to understand that we fire hundreds of rounds every year. And over 17 years that adds up to thousands of rounds."

In recent test firings and qualification shootings, Salvatore said, police have been experiencing some mechanical malfunctions -- including one weapon that failed to fire.

"If, God forbid, one of our officers was called upon to utilize his or her weapon in a real-life situation, we don?t want to have that weapon malfunction," the chief said.

In light of those malfunctions, "our firearms instructors made a request that we need to start looking at new weapons." Last year, Salvatore said, "I gave them the responsibility to look into the situation, and they did an outstanding job."

Not only did they prepare a 21-page report for the chief, they also compiled a nearly two-inch thick compilation of background information.

He identified the officers as Sgt. Roy Nelson, then-detective and now Sgt. Louis Tobias, and Officer Jonathan Mantel, who also serves as the department?s armourer.

As a result of an intensive review of the matter, the department proposes spending $31,549 to purchase Glock Model 22 .40-caliber pistols.

The purchase price for the guns, which use a 15-round magazine, also includes holsters, pouches for extra magazines, ammunition, and training in the use and handling of the new guns.

The department has presented its proposal to the Capital Expenditures Committee, and is awaiting additional review from the Board of Finance.

Nelson said the officers were driven to act after seven of the department?s weapons experienced malfunctions on the range, including one "that failed to fire on the first shot." Other weapons failed to extract, or eject, or to feed a new round.

Those malfunctions could be overcome by drills that could teach the officers how to handle a similar malfunction. But with a weapon that fails to fire, Nelson said, "This type of malfunction, occurring on the street, could potentially cause an officer to be severely injure or killed."

The types and number of malfunctions "are unacceptable for a front-line handgun," Nelson added.

Mantel said there is another, more basic problem: Smith & Wesson no longer manufacturers the department?s current service weapon. Consequently, it has become harder to find replacement parts.

But beyond that, the science and technology of gun-making has changed dramatically in the nearly two decades since the department first ordered the current guns, Mantel suggested.

"We are not just looking at replacing a weapon," Mantel said, explaining, "There is new technol-ogy out there, and the way they are manufactured is much more advanced. There are less parts and easier maintenance, which saves time."

Mantel said the Glock has "50 percent" fewer working parts than the current S&W weapons.

Salvatore said the three officers "identified 13 weapons, including everything from 9 millimeters to .45 caliber automatics." The officers "test-fired all the weapons, and then turned around and evaluated all of them" in seven categories, including comfort/feel, sights, trigger pull, recoil, and weight.

Nelson said all the weapons were manufactured by three makers: Glock, Sigarms, and Smith & Wesson. The guns were rated a scale of 1-5, with one the lowest and five the highest. Glocks took the first three places.

The Glock is of Austrian design and manufacture. In a testament to the thoroughness of the re-port presented by the three officers, Nelson even included a brief history of the company, which was founded the Gaston Glock in 1963. In the early 1980s, the company moved into gun manufac-turing at the behest of the Austrian government. Shortly afterwards, Glocks were offered for sale to American police departments.

Nelson said a number of area departments have acquired the Glock, including West Hartford, Rocky Hill, and Glastonbury.

In his report, Nelson spoke to a number of firearms instructors, including James Noonan, a master firearms instructor who is a full-time instructor for the state police. He called the Glock "the most reliable" of all the firearms that have come through the Municipal Police Academy.

Underscoring the seriousness of the issue, Mantel said, "If an officer goes to his firearm, it?s because it is needed."  ¶ 2:29 PM