The department is evaluating handgun models from Heckler and Koch (H&K) and Springfield Armory (SA).
By: Charlie Olsen
The Manville Police Department is evaluating two new models of side arms to replace its aging Smith & Wesson pistols.
At the Sept. 12 meeting, the Borough Council passed a resolution authorizing Chief Mark Peltack to trade in the department’s 27 10-year-old Smith & Wesson .45-caliber pistols.
"The normal replacement period is eight to 10 years; we’re at the upper end of that," Chief Peltack said. "We’re doing it now, rather than wait till something fails. We’ll also get a better resale value."
Chief Peltack said the police are evaluating handgun models from Heckler and Koch (H&K) and Springfield Armory (SA).
Although the specifics vary from gun to gun, the police armorers have detailed breakdowns of all the specific parts in the guns that are wearing out and making it more difficult for police to qualify.
"It’s a precautionary measure," Chief Peltack said. Wear runs from "anything from broken springs to broken draw-bars, frame cracks to firing pins. God forbid it fails them when they need it."
Bill Dermody, a spokesman for SA, said the police are currently evaluating a .45-caliber pistol from their XD line: the XD 45 ACP.
"They have a gun for testing and evaluation," Mr. Dermody said. "This particular product is the hottest in law enforcement right now."
The XD pistol holds 13 rounds of .45-caliber ammo and one in the chamber, which gives it a round capacity similar to that of a 9 mm handgun.
It also incorporates a number of safety features such as a loaded chamber indicator lever that sticks out to indicate whether there is a round in the chamber and a striker status indicator button that extends from the firing pin. These features allow the officer to make sure the weapon is ready to fire by sense of touch even in the dark.
Another feature on the pistol is a grip safety a lever in the handle preventing the gun from being fired without a proper shooting grip.
"This feature prevents the weapon from firing, in case it’s drawn and falls or if it’s pried lose in a struggle," Mr. Dermody said. This is important because police usually keep a round in the chamber.
The XD 45 ACP costs $559 each for the 4-inch service model, and $595 each for 5-inch tactical model. One of the advantages of a newer weapon is the weight-savings afforded by modern materials, Mr. Peltack said.
"The weapons we have now are stainless steel, the new ones will have polymer frames," Chief Peltack said. "It’s lighter than stainless."
A spokeswoman from H&K said she couldn’t say what model they were evaluating, but that all the modern pistols had ambidextrous release levers for magazine and slide release, polymer frames and a "hostile environment" finish that allows the weapon to be fired in imperfect conditions.
According to Chief Peltack, the weapons need to be test-fired at least twice a year, although police are encouraged to practice shooting at the pistol range often. Chief Peltack said he couldn’t remember a time they’ve been fired outside of the range.
"I’m sure they’ve been drawn, but I can’t remember a time they’ve been fired in the line of duty," Chief Peltack said. "We’ve been fortunate."
Chief Peltack said that although the Somerset County Pistol League is now defunct, Manville police won several years in a row.

