Bonners Ferry Police Department upgrades duty weapons

July 30, 2014

by Michael Meier, Boundary County Public Information Officer

Based largely on complaints from law enforcement agencies across the nation for maintenance problems with handguns chambered in the .40 S&W caliber, the Bonners Ferry Police Department is changing to brand new 4th generation Glock Model 21’s in the venerable .45 auto caliber. “Shortly after I took over as police chief, I inspected one department owned pistol in .40 S&W and found it had a cracked barrel. Even though I could just replace the barrel, it is not worth taking chances with the lives of my police officers. Additionally, there are few calibers that rival the .45 auto for reliability and stopping power. Police Officers also have to be concerned with over-penetration if they have to use their weapons. The .45 is a big slow bullet that stops what it hits but isn’t so powerful as to jeopardize innocent civilians,” said Chief Robert Boone. Many police and sheriff’s departments throughout the country have reported everything from pistols exploding to inaccuracy issues with the .40 S&W round. The Glock Model 22’s that Bonners Ferry Police Officers were carrying have a problem known as “unsupported chambers” that the Glock firearms company has been attempting to rectify. This issue has not been experienced in any of the other Glock pistols. The department defrayed the cost of the new pistols by trading the old weapons into a law enforcement affiliated dealer in Spokane, Washington and by trading old surplus department equipment that was not being used.