Ammunition cache draws Cressona fire

Josey1

Ammunition cache draws Cressona firePolice have 3,000 rounds storedBY BRIAN K. SMITHSouthern Schuylkill Bureau Chiefbsmith@republicanherald.comCRESSONA - The police department's cache of ammunition drew fire from the borough council Monday night. Councilman Lyle K. Frehafer said the department has on hand more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition, including .45-, .44- and .40-caliber, both hollow- and ball-point, plus shotgun rounds. He also said the department recently spent $677 for ammunition purchased from Kerschner's Gun Shop, Schuylkill Haven. "That's more than sufficient ammunition," Frehafer said. "I think we are overboard." He suggested some of the ammunition be returned, but Police Chief William F. Clark said it was needed. Clark defended the purchase, saying that the department uses it for mandated qualifications with firearms - members must be able to hit what they shoot at - and for practice. Qualifications, he said, are finished for the year. Clark said the department uses the cheaper ball-point ammunition for practice, and the hollow-point for qualifications. Still, Frehafer and Councilwoman Doris E. Runkle questioned the necessity of having so much ammunition for a force that has only two full-time members. Clark suggested the council seek the opinion of Orwigsburg Police Chief Stanley Brozana, who is the rangemaster who oversees the department's qualifications requirements, to determine how much is needed. Council President Robert A. Barr directed borough Secretary Sandra A. Brennan to do so. Brozana was not available for comment this morning. When Runkle asked Barr about the location of the ammunition, he replied that he would only discuss its location with her privately after the meeting. He said it has been inventoried by three people, is all accounted for, and is in a safe place. Concerning another matter, the council directed Frehafer, the borough's delegate to the Blue Mountain Recreation Commission, to vote against proposed $17,160 in pay raises for commission officers over the next three years. The hikes represent a 4.5 percent increase in the first year, 4 percent in the second and 3 percent in the third. The council accepted a bid from Schuylkill Paving Inc., Schuylkill Mountain Road, of $10,660 for the borough's GMC 3500 series dump truck. http://www.pottsville.com/pub/2001/Oct/16/E476951A.htm

will270win

3,000 rounds? Is that all? I got that much easy.

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If you run, you'll just die tired!

mudge

I can't say that I've ever heard a reference to "ball-point" ammo. Hollow point for qualification??? Seems a bit expensive for hole punching.Will 270.....3,000 rounds does seem a bit marginal to defend a town that size.Their inventory appears to be missing about 5,000 rounds of .223 for their M16's, and what about the 1,000 or so rounds of .308 for the Rem. 700's their SWAT snipers have?Oh I forgot, only 2 guys on the force. Well, they're just gonna have to surround the bad guys.

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I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!

Alerion

Most officers have to qualify with the same (type) guns and ammunition that they're going to carry in the field, hence having to qualify with hollowpoints. Considering that each of these officers probably has to qualify with a duty gun, backup, and shotgun, 3000 rounds doesn't sound that excessive. On the other hand, that's about the same number of rounds I shoot in a year just to entertain myself.Plus the department would have to keep some ammo back for issue after the officers qualify. That's at least two more rounds if they carry them in their shirt pockets (a la Barney!) :-)Tom

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Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

competentone

People who know nothing about firearms think 3,000 rounds must be a "room full" of ammo.The Chief should have carried it into the council meeting; it's only three cases!

ED P

I am just a part time hobbyist, but have over 3K rounds of ammo easy- it's cheaper when you buy it in bulk, but anyone not into guns sees it as a sign of being nuts.These kind of stories make my heart sink a little more with each one I hear. Us gun guys have a real up hill battle everyday just defending our sport, but these are police officers being brought into question...

badboybob

Police departments should not be allowed to keep this much ammo in stock. Who do they think they are, a bunch of rambos? If they can't get by with just one or two full hi cap mags per cop they can't shoot straight in the first place. It's digusting that the local PD has as much ammo as I do. They don't need it, will never use it and are wasting my tax dollars.

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So many guns to buy. So little money.

nunn

Dang!! How big a PD is this? I keep around 80,000 rounds on hand for 50 officers.I get so much money to spend on ammo each year. Every year I build up a little surplus, but I spend all my money. I figure once it is setting on the armory shelves, they can't take it back.

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Certified SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Egotistical Rogue, Evil, Dangerous Racist Moderator of the General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Email davidnunn@texoma.net Jesus is Lord!

.250Savage

Christ, the idiots are all around us...when they question how much ammo the POLICE can have (and as small an amount as 3,000), they probably will vote for one of those stupid "arsenal" laws for the rest of us. You know, the ones that say you have an "arsenal" if you have more than 1,000 rounds (2 bricks of .22).

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I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.--Voltare