State grant provides Grovetown officials with new firearms

Thanks to a state grant, the Grovetown Department of Public Safety officers will soon be carrying new Glock sidearms.

The $7,000 grant from the Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Coordinating Council given to the department will be used to purchase 20 40 caliber Glocks. The grant will also allow the department to purchase two or three new Glocks every year.

According to Capt. Gary Owens of the Grovetown department, the new weapons are the standard handgun for most of the state's policing units, including the Georgia State Patrol and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

"By having a standardized weapon for our police officers, it allows the department to regulate them much more easily and alleviates a lot of safety concerns," Owens said. "We'll be able to regulate trigger pull, type of barrel and have everyone trained the same way on the same gun. Having a standardized weapon helps with inventory purposes and regulates a lot of liability issues with the state of Georgia."

Prior to this standardization provided by the grant, Grovetown officers were required to buy their own weapon, Owens said. All of the officers carrying various weapons is much less cost-effective for the department.

"This will save the taxpayers a lot of money," Owens said. "We'll be able to save on ammunition because we can buy in bulk for the Glocks instead of having to buy a lot of different types or rounds.

"Also, repairs can be made by the departmental armor at the range instead of it having to be taken to someone who specializes in whatever type of weapon needed repair."