Bay Area California Highway Patrol
to get upgraded firearms

By Elizabeth Daley, Bay City News Service

October 10, 2006

In addition to hiring 510 new officers statewide, California Highway Patrol officers will receive new guns, CHP officer Mike Wright reports.

The Smith&Wesson 4006 Tactical weapon will be in the hands of about 1,000 Bay Area CHP officers by the end of this month, according to Wright, who says the new gun is not much different than the old model officers will be turning in. "they are just old," said Wright, of his current weapon.

Wright, who will receive his new weapon on Wednesday, says he's excited about it.

Officer Scott Yox, who was supposed to receive and test shoot his new weapon Monday, said the California Highway Patrol has not had weapons replaced for fifteen years. While the CHP reports the Smith&Wesson pistols were expected to last 30 years, more frequent usage in trainings have caused the guns to retire 15 years early.

The new guns come as part of a statewide weapons replacement program for highway patrol officers, costing $6,649,688 according to the California Highway Patrol.

While another weapons supplier, SigArms, offered to supply the CHP with weapons for $5,831,864, including a $2,693,582 returned weapons credit, the CHP was precluded from accepting the contract based upon an Executive Order issued by Governor Gray Davis, prohibiting the return of weapons to anyone other than the manufacturer.

The California Highway Patrol says SigArms weapons would have been slightly different, requiring additional training for officers. The CHP also says the Smith&Wesson weapons include six magazines, increasing the value of the bid.

The CHP chose to purchase 9,736 guns and magazines from Smith&Wesson who has, according to Wright, been supplying weapons to the CHP "since the time of revolvers."

Yox said officers will have the opportunity to purchase their old weapons before they are sent to a licensed re-seller in Pomona, California.

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