According to the Wichita Eagle, the local police wants to trade shotguns for rifles in patrol cars. It seems some members of the Kansas law enforcement fraternity are feeling out-gunned. “It used to be that if you had an active-shooter situation, you’d call in SWAT and set up a perimeter, and then move in,” Sedgwick County Sheriff Robert Hinshaw told the Eagle. “But Columbine and other school shootings, other spree shootings, showed you can’t afford to wait. The sooner you can mount a response to that, the more lives that are saved and the sooner you can bring it to a resolution. We can’t just send people into harm’s way without having the right tools.” And a rifle’s a better weapon for a cop than a shotgun because . . . “it’s more accurate and has a much longer range.” Whoa there Sheriff! What about the good folks on the other side of that perp? You know, AFTER the bullet pierces his person? “You’re going to have some issues,” Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams cautioned. “That may have some deadly consequences for an innocent person.” Ya think? He thinks. “It’s one thing to be able to pick up a shotgun,” Williams said. “It’s a whole different ball game to pick up a rifle.” Truer words have never been spoken. You know, since last time.
Making sure of the target and what's behind it — cardinal rule.
However, if you're worried about collateral downrange damage that the single round of a rifle may cause, what say you about a shotgun (which the sheriff seeks to replace)? Of the 9 standard 00 projectiles from a single 2 3/4 12-ga round at 40 yards, you're lucky if half find the perp. The other 4-5? They just keep on keeping on. Till they stop, or are stopped.
Exactly Monte. Whether it’s a shotgun or a rifle, you are accountable for where all the rounds go. The rifle is more accurate. Personally I’d rather have both in the patrol car and have my options when I get on scene.
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