The Clinton Police Department (CPD) will no longer have to deal with malfunctioning guns and aging weapons. After receiving approval from the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and Board of Finance (BOF), the CPD has aquired some brand-new weapons and holsters.

"Some [of the guns] were starting to malfunction and they're over 20 years old," said Sgt. Scott Jakoberi of the need for new weapons. "Because of the wear and tear we experience from using them every day, we thought it was best to get newer, upgraded models."

Major Thomas Lucas noted that this was a crucial upgrade for the department.

"The average gun is about 10 years old and has a life expectancy of a thousand rounds-we we're way over that," said Lucas.

To pay for the new weapons, the BOF unanimously approved the appropriation of $11,294 from contingency in April. The department also traded in its old weapons to help cover the costs.

After a lengthy selection process, the CPD decided to replace its Beretta 96 F, 40-caliber guns with guns of the same caliber, but a different manufacturer-Sig Sauer P229.

"What we did was we went through a whole testing and evaluation process and we had guys from the department who were interested come out and shoot all the different guns. This [Sig Sauer P229] was the gun that they liked and they shot the best, so we got the gun that would help them shoot better," said Jakoberi, who is the "ranger master" at the shooting range.

During recently completed transition training, nearly the entire CPD took part in four, eight-hour training sessions designed to help them become accustomed to the new weapons. This earned CPD members qualification from the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, which is the agency that governs police departments in the state.

Jakoberi reported that with the new weapons, all officers' shooting scores at the range have gone up or stayed the same, with none decreasing.

Both Lucas and Jakoberi said the department is very satisfied with the new weapons and that, although the process to get the weapons was lengthy-the CPD waited eight weeks to receive the weapons-it was worth it in the end.

"It's a big investment when you figure these guys are using this tool to save themselves or someone else's life potentially and it's going to be the weapon they are going to have for the rest of their career, most likely," said Jakoberi.