Jasper Police Chief Tim GrahamJASPER, Tenn. - The Jasper Police Department has outfitted its officers with new weapons and equipment without costing the city any money.
Police Chief Tim Graham said the department had a number of weapons that were seized over the years in storage "collecting dust."
He said Marion County Circuit Court Judge Thomas "Rusty" Graham issued an order allowing the city to sell the guns to a licensed trader or trade them in for upgraded weapons through a state program.
The department got about $1,750 for the seized weapons and spent another $2,250 to outfit each officer with a Glock P-22 .40-caliber pistol, Graham said.
The additional money came out of the department's drug fund that comes from drug finds and seizures.
"We got each officer a weapon with night sights, an extra clip and a holster," Graham said. "So, basically, we got department-issued weapons and the equipment at zero cost to the taxpayers."
That style of pistol was chosen because other area law enforcement agencies such as the Marion County Sheriff's office and the Kimball Police Department use it, he said.
"If somebody gets in a bind, those can be interchanged," he said.
Alderman Leon Rash said the fact that the new weapons didn't cost the city any money is a "good deal" for local taxpayers.
"The officers are properly equipped," Graham said. "It helps all the way around, and it doesn't cost the taxpayers anything. We're proud of that fact, too."
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryan lew is34@gmail.com.