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Sheriff’s office to trade pistols for new ones

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Monday, September 14, 2009

(Updated 5:38 am)

By Dioni L. Wise
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office soon will exchange its handguns for new ones, pending approval from the county commissioners.

The commissioners are expected to approve a plan Thursday that will allow the sheriff’s office to participate in an upgrade program offered by Smith & Wesson. The department would exchange about 400 duty pistols for free.

Lt. Randy Shepherd of the personnel and training division said the company contacted the sheriff’s office earlier this year about the promotional deal. The company wants its new pistols in deputies’ hands, and Guilford County deputies need new hardware. Their Model 21 Glocks are 10 years old.

“It’s really a win-win situation because we get brand new pistols with full warranty, and the county doesn’t have to foot the bill,” he said.

Under the exchange program, the sheriff’s office will receive about 400 Smith & Wesson M&P .45 caliber pistols and holsters valued at $530 each in exchange for the same number of existing pistols and holsters valued at $370 each.

Smith & Wesson will sell the older guns to the highest bidder. The used firearms will probably be sold at gun stores.

Shepherd said one firearm isn’t necessarily better than the other.

“They actually operate very similarly, and that’s good for us because that’s less transition,” Shepherd said.

Twenty-four arms instructors already received training at no charge. During the six-hour class, Smith & Wesson staff taught officers how to take the pistol apart and diagnose potential problems.

Col. Randy Powers, the sheriff’s chief deputy, said the new guns will come with better night sights. The older ones were beginning to dim.

“If the night sights begin to fade on us, it makes it hard for us to aim in darkness,” he said.

The Smith & Wesson guns also have three interchangeable grip sizes. Deputies with small hands had trouble gripping the Glocks.

Smith & Wesson will arrange shipment this fall, Shepherd said.

Deputies will stop using the old pistols and qualify with the new guns in October and November.

Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or dioni.wise@news-record.com

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Huck9

September 14, 2009 - 7:37 am EDT

Very good fiscal move to get new weapons for no cost. Now, if we can get them to trade in the tasers and stop killing people, we will be making good progress.

notoriousBLOG

September 14, 2009 - 8:22 am EDT

Great idea............when people stop trying to kill cops............or decide to stop being idiots and listen to the cops.
Why don't you go ride with a cop some time. You'd probably puke on yourself from fear.

axhandle

September 14, 2009 - 11:10 am EDT

Smith makes a great revolver. Not sure I would trade in my Glock semi for a S&W semi though.

TerryT

September 14, 2009 - 11:22 am EDT

Nothing is free. There will be a cost sometime. That will come out later. Taser give much more hope of surviving than a 9mm. Give me the taser any day if I am being stupid toward the police.

Elmer

September 14, 2009 - 4:23 pm EDT

I suppose this is a fairly effective way for S&W to gain more credibility for this weapon in the marketplace, as they are able to truthfully say that this was the weapon selected by the GCSD, even though a major reason for the selection is that it cost nothing out of budget.

I am reminded of the film Jackie Brown where the profanity spewing gun dealer played by Samuel L Jackson starts talking about 45 ACP pistols...
"put that bad boy in a flick, every [mother's son] out there want one. I'm serious as a heart attack. When them Hong Kong flick's came out, every [fellow] in the world had to have a forty-five. And they aint want one,they want two, 'cause all them [fellow]'s want to be the killer. What them flicks don't tell you and what they don't know, is that a .45 has a serious [freaking] jammin' problem. So I try and steer a customer towards a 9-millimeter.'cause it's [darn] near the same weapon, and aint got half the jammin' problems. But you know how them [fellows are] out there , you can't tell them [anything]. They want a .45. The killer had a .45, they want a .45."

tryingtoremainneutral

September 15, 2009 - 1:51 pm EDT

As long as it saves taxpayer money I am for it having gone through a transition from a revovler to an auto I'll take the auto anytime. Most of the deputies will only use their sidearms for state mandated qualifications only.