MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police plan to start switching out their duty guns in early 2023, pending Common Council approval, after their current handguns went off unintentionally in three separate cases.
"The members we represent want a tool in their belt that will be trusted and reliable," said Andrew Wagner, president of the Milwaukee Police Association.
During a news conference, Wagner stood alongside Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman as they announced the transition and praised them for coming together to address the issue.
Since 2020, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) reported three instances of an officer's gun going off without anyone pulling the trigger. The most recent incident happened in September 2022.
"The bullet is still stuck in his knee. So he's recovering, but it's gonna be a long road to recovery. I think the doctors had said don't look to do anything for about a year," Wagner said.
"Police officers who serve our city have enough on their plate to worry about. They certainly shouldn't have to worry about their sidearms," Mayor Johnson said.
Currently, Milwaukee Police use the Sig Sauer P320. They want to switch to a Glock model 45 and getting it to more than 1,600 members will cost about $450,000.
Currently, at least seven police departments in Milwaukee County use different gun models by Glock. In addition to MPD, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and Whitefish Bay Police reported using the Sig Sauer P320.
"We still have a large transition with the large organization that has to go through the proper training. So this is not an easy decision, nor should it be. But I believe that this is the most productive and viable option," Chief Norman said.
