Vernon Police Moving Away From Bean Bag Shotguns

Vernon police want to phase out their arsenal of bean bag-propelling shotguns on favor of a more efficient "less than lethal" weapons system.

are asking permission from the Town Council to trade 20 Mossberg Model 590A1 shotguns to a "licensed federal firearms dealer" in exchange for 14 new Glock Model 36 handguns.

The council is slated to discuss the matter on Tuesday.

The Glocks are the departmental-issued sidearm.

The 12-gauge shotguns were deployed in departmental vehicles and were loaded with a shell that fired a bean bag. It would "cause pain without the severe injury associated with using lethal force," police officials said in a memo to the council.

The shotguns were originally acquired in 2001 for $652.06 each and are being eliminated in favor of a more cost-effective and efficient system. Annual training costs "far exceeded" the cost of the shotguns, police officials said in the memo. 

Lt. William Meier on Friday said the newer system is a 40mm launcher that fires rubber-coated projectiles. SWAT officers currently use that system, he said. 

The shotguns were "effective, but not cost-effective" compared to the new system, police official said in the memo.