Sewickley police to get new set of firearms, related equipment out of caution

The Sewickley Police Department will receive new firearms to replace ones that officials are concerned might misfire.

There have been multiple reports and numerous lawsuits filed in the past few years regarding Sig Sauer P320 guns going off by themselves.

The pistol made by the New Hampshire-based gun manufacturer was introduced in 2014.

The company launched a “voluntary upgrade” program in 2017. However, several reports through the years indicate that the upgrade did not fully solve the problem of the guns allegedly firing without someone pulling the trigger.

Emails sent to the company’s media department on Sept. 3 were not returned as of presstime on Sept. 4.

According to AP reports, Sig Sauer denies the pistol is defective, saying the P320 is safe and the problem is user error. It has prevailed in some cases.

Sewickley Police Chief Dave Mazza said he recently recommended council buy new Glocks to replace his department’s Sig P320s despite having no issues in the last five years of use.

Council authorized the new firearms purchase via 8-0 vote Aug. 12. Councilwoman Anne Willoughby was absent.

The department is expected to receive 12 new Glock model 45 Gen5 firearms by the end of the year.

The purchase also comes with new holsters, flashlights and optic systems with a total cost of $12,133.

Council president Cynthia Mullins said it is essential for the borough to provide its police force with proper tools for their safety as well as the residents.

“The quality of life in Sewickley is greatly enhanced by having a very exceptional chief and a very exceptional force,” Mullins said. “We need to get the right equipment.”

Officers are using their personal firearms while on duty until the Glocks arrive. The new guns will be given to full-time officers.

Borough policy is that part-time officers provide their own firearms, which must comply with police department standards.

Mazza said the Glocks are an unbudgeted emergency purchase, and that he was hoping to buy new guns next year.

“I personally love the gun, but in response to the current situations regarding the alleged misfiring of that particular model, I ethically and responsibly could not take the chance of something happening,” Mazza said. “I’m disappointed that this happened because we haven’t had an issue. I can’t roll those dice. I’m not going to play with someone else’s life.

“This was an emergency situation and we’re extremely fortunate that we have a borough manager and council that strongly support their police department and trust in their chief’s decisions and opinions.”

Other factors pushing the purchase include what Mazza described as the end of a duty weapon’s shelf life and standardizing the department’s duty weapons.

“Unanimously, (my officers) all understood the severity of the situation and why I had to make the decision,” Mazza said about the department’s reaction to the firearms change. “The opinion was split. I have some guys that really like the Sig P320 and have done well with it. I have a group that are big Glock fans. There was a mixed reaction.”

Mazza is a state police and National Rifle Association-certified firearms instructor and has administered his department’s firearms qualification tests since 2013.

Officers may also receive firearms training and qualify through the Allegheny County Police Academy; however, not with the Sig Sauer P320s.

Allegheny County Police Public Information Officer Jim Madalinsky confirmed those guns are no longer permitted at the academy’s range.

“The change went into effect in July of this year after reports of apparent multiple unintentional and uncommanded discharges alleging to have occurred across the nation with these firearms,” Madalinsky said via email.

Sewickley Officer Matthew Baroni, a certified Sig armorer, is expected to go to the police academy to become a Glock armorer, a person trained in preventative maintenance, safe disassembly and reassembly, as well as inspection of said firearms.

The company will provide an expert to teach the course. Participating departments pay for it.

The class is set for Dec. 16. Cost is $300.

Mazza said the expense will come out of the department’s training budget and Baroni will be prepared for it.

“He has displayed that he’s very proficient in the use and nomenclature of general firearms. He has volunteered to become a Glock armorer,” Mazza said.