Notes » September 2002

Cocked, Locked and Ready To Rock

The police force is about to become better armed.

Whenever I've inquired about why cops carried old-fashioned six-shooters (Colt .38 detective specials that pack enough punch to put a large hole in the bad guys), the pat answer was cops rarely draw their weapons; six bullets were enough, and officers carry spares.

However, the manufacturer stopped making the Colt .38 in 1996, and spare parts are running out. Next year, 500 officers will have their weapons upgraded to 9mm Glock 19 pistols. The first of these handguns will go to officers in major operational units, such as the Narcotics Bureau, the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau.

The Glock is considered an effective sidearm as it carries more rounds, has better accuracy and is easier to fire with less recoil. Each officer receiving the new pistol will undergo a three-day course where they will fire a minimum of 300 rounds to become accustomed to the feel.

So much for the rationale behind revolvers.

Should the special bureaus find themselves in a firefight, they'll be glad they don't have to stop to reload as often.

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