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Marksman
The Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office is trading up its firearms for more accuracy and a lower cost.
A switch from the .40-caliber Glock to the 9 mm Glock will allow the department to keep in line with law enforcement weapon standards and save county dollars with a lower ammunition cost.
Sheriff Bob Johnson said the department has ordered 240 new guns for its deputies, who are all in the process of certifying to shoot with the upgraded weapons.
Bob Johnson: Santa Rosa's new sheriff
“No. 1, the 9 mm is easier to shoot, there’s less recoil, the ammunition doesn’t cost as much and there’s more accuracy, so it’s an easy choice,” Johnson said.
“Some of the guns we traded in are 15 years old, so it’s time for something new."
Every .40-caliber firearm will be traded in, which kept the cost of the 9 mm weapons down to $120 each, Johnson said.
Deputies can use the same holsters and magazine pouches they used with the .40-caliber, but they will need to complete a training and certification before they start carrying the new gun on the street.
“The FBI just went to the 9 mm and they do exhaustive ballistics testing, so they came out with the finding that the 9 mm is just as effective, if not more effective, than the .40,” Johnson said.
The move comes after Santa Rosa County officials approved a pay raise for deputies, and SRSO vehicles are getting an upgrade.
The one-time, $1.6 million approval allows SRSO to stay competitive with starting salaries in neighboring counties. The department often sees its deputies resign in favor of higher wages elsewhere.
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A switch from the .40-caliber Glock to the 9 mm Glock will allow the department to keep in line with law enforcement weapon standards and save county dollars with a lower ammunition cost.
Sheriff Bob Johnson said the department has ordered 240 new guns for its deputies, who are all in the process of certifying to shoot with the upgraded weapons.
Bob Johnson: Santa Rosa's new sheriff
“No. 1, the 9 mm is easier to shoot, there’s less recoil, the ammunition doesn’t cost as much and there’s more accuracy, so it’s an easy choice,” Johnson said.
“Some of the guns we traded in are 15 years old, so it’s time for something new."
Every .40-caliber firearm will be traded in, which kept the cost of the 9 mm weapons down to $120 each, Johnson said.
Deputies can use the same holsters and magazine pouches they used with the .40-caliber, but they will need to complete a training and certification before they start carrying the new gun on the street.
“The FBI just went to the 9 mm and they do exhaustive ballistics testing, so they came out with the finding that the 9 mm is just as effective, if not more effective, than the .40,” Johnson said.
The move comes after Santa Rosa County officials approved a pay raise for deputies, and SRSO vehicles are getting an upgrade.
The one-time, $1.6 million approval allows SRSO to stay competitive with starting salaries in neighboring counties. The department often sees its deputies resign in favor of higher wages elsewhere.
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