Posted on 05/10/2015 9:58:40 AM PDT by re_tail20
Timothy Stansbury died in a New York housing project stairwell in 2004 because he startled a police officer. The officer's surprise at encountering Stansbury caused the officer's hand to clench and his weapon to fire. The death was ruled accidental by a grand jury, though the officer was later stripped of his gun for the remainder of his career.
Akai Gurley died in another New York housing project stairwell last fall. A rookie officer with his finger on the trigger of his pistol tensed as he pushed open a stuck door; the added pressure on the trigger caused his weapon to fire a shot down the stairwell. The round ricocheted off the wall to strike Gurley. Though the shot wasn't intentional and the officer didn't even know Gurley was there, the death has been ruled a criminal homicide, and the officer's trial is pending.
In both of these incidents, the police officers were using the same weapon, a Glock: a polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol with a short trigger pull and no external safeties.
It's a popular handgun for law enforcement in New York and beyond. The Los Angeles Police Department has a number of firearms approved for use, including nine Glock models. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recently began issuing new recruits the Smith & Wesson M&P, a handgun with a short trigger pull that operates in much the same way.
Glock uses the marketing term “Safe Action” to describe its firing-pin system, but the truth is that Glocks are accident-prone. They contributed to more than 120 accidental discharges in the Washington Metropolitan Police Department from 1988 to 1998. Anecdotes of increased accidental shootings have followed the pistol for more than 30 years wherever it has been adopted by police officers and citizens alike...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
‘’Perhaps you need a slingshot.’’
Good one.
The ones I know (and there are quite a few) all complained about how much their arms hurt after having to fire the 50-100 rounds they had to fire when qualifying.
The thing is, most NYPD don’t come from a gun culture background. Many have never even fired a gun before they enter the police academy. I suspect this is true for many big city police officers. Unless they are ex-military I probably fired more rounds by the time I was 16 then they will in their entire lifetimes. I think most have no business carrying semi auto pistols and should only be issued revolvers as a sidearm.
To each their own. The only pistol I own that has a manual safety is a Ruger Mark II. I prefer Glocks, Semi Autos with manual decockers like CZs, and revolvers. The best safety is the one between your ears.
The sad part is that Glock will never add a “real” safety because of the their motto: “Perfection”.
Adding a safety would be an admission they are not perfect.
I own a lot of guns but no Glocks, and this is one of the reasons why.
I have read stories of people re-holstering their Glocks and having them discharge because a shirttail got caught.
It doesn’t necessitate a finger.
Good advice, but I do carry with a round in the chamber of my Hi Power at the half cock position and safety on.
The same for my 1911. Thus for either one I would need to manually pull the hammer back to be ready to fire. This can be done quickly and easily and safely. It takes to long to chamber a round by pulling the slide back.
Relative to the 1911 I have no need to carry cocked and locked as I am not an officer of the law. If I were in a critical situation where I needed my firearm in my hand I would then put it in that configuration with my finger “outside of the trigger guard.” It would take just a fraction of a second to make it ready to fire.
ps
John Moses Browning was a genius, and he did not make plastic guns. If you run out of ammunition you can still beat them to death with a 1911 but not a glock!
The plastic pistols are fine firearms but this old man refuses to shoot them. It “just aint right!” My son carries a plastic pistol, WERE DID I GO WRONG!!?
NYPD Glock trigger has 8 lb pull. The NYPD2 trigger has 12.
The only safety on the Glock IS the pull through.
Blame the gun, not the cops? We have some whiney cops.
No disrespect to you. Just saying that a finger pulls said trigger and said finger is controlled by your brain. Glocks are dangerous, so are hammers.
I also keep a HiPoint carbine in one of the ranchtruck tool boxes. Cannot chamber a round with the safety on, that bitch may get my ass killed one fine day. I have two Glocks and an AR in my most everyday 1/2 ton driver. (lives on family ranch)
No sweat. It’s a Coke/Pepsi thing. The important thing is to master whatever weapon you choose.
Look up some of the dogs round here, I did not mean to be harsh. PM up to you.
And there's multiple responses to your post.. Yet you only respond once.....???
Now that's a safety!!
Friend of mine...grabbed for the lotion..but instead grabbed the BenGay. He got a big surprise.
Things happen...
My town has a private range in the basement of the shiny new PD. Last time I was there cases of .40 cal ball ammo were stacked 6 high.
L
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