Gun modifications forcing departments to re-evaluate officer weapons

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Outmanned and outgunned.

On Thursday, FOX13 attended a news conference where Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, Memphis Mayor Paul Young, and interim Police Chief C.J. Davis all expressed support for increasing the penalty for possession of Glock switches.

RELATED: Memphis city leaders call for tougher penalties on Glock Switches

But Davis said the department is now having to re-evaluate weapons and training for officers as they encounter more modified weapons.

“We are looking at increasing the caliber of types of weapons that our officers have access to and have. And it's unfortunate that we have to do that, but this is what we're facing,” said Davis during Thursday’s news conference.

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She added, “We see more and more weapons on the street and we are called to protect citizens, we can't be, you know, outmanned and outgunned.”

The Shelby County Sheriff’s office said it’s also a problem deputies are experiencing.

“I’ve been doing this for 22 years, and I've never come up against the type of weapon training which we see today on our streets, in our community. And it's concerning,” said SCSO Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner.

He said the sheriff's office is also re-evaluating weapons and training, while also working to equip deputies.

“So right now, we have nearly 100 rifles, semi-automatic rifles deployed throughout Shelby County, throughout our various divisions and the sheriff's office. And we're looking to add more than 300 more to the deputies out in the field.”

According to the Memphis Police handbook, each officer has a service weapon, but only assigned and trained officers also get an semi-automatic weapon.

The department has a Patrol Rifle Program that includes training and providing officers in Uniform Patrol and Special Operations with added weapons.

The rifles assigned officers have are AR-15 A3/Bushmaster XM15 E2S A2s with a specific sight on it, but not every officer has one.

These are also not weapons intended to be worn on their hip.

Buckner said the same applies to SCSO and the deputies. “We want to make sure that our deputies feel confident and comfortable walking into any situation."

Buckner also stressed the importance of firearm storage, noting many of these weapons they encounter with Glock switches are stolen from cars, from homes, or wherever else you may not have it locked away.