Police will get new guns

In January of this year, the council tabled a request from the Cloquet police department to purchase 26 Heckler & Koch VP9 (9mm) handguns at a cost of $17,277 after requesting additional information.

On Tuesday night, they passed the same request - 26 H&K VP9 handguns - but this time the cost of the guns was significantly lower, at $12,974, a reduction from $688 per gun to $499. It was, however, still a more expensive bid than the second gun considered by the department, the Glock 19 (9mm) handgun.

Interim police chief Derek Randall explained that interim commander Adam Reed has been researching replacement guns since 2018, and had taken officers to the shooting range to test both guns. Because the department currently uses a similar Glock (.40 caliber), Randall said he expected the officers to do better with the Glocks.

They didn't.

Randall said he and Reed recommended the H&K purchase because the officers' shooting accuracy was better, which will reduce training time, along with other reasons.

"It also makes it safer for officers and the community should they ever have to use [their handguns]," Randall told the council during Tuesday's meeting. They also liked the fact that the H&K is fully ambidextrous, and has a modular grip formation that allows 40 different ways to grip the gun. Proper grip is critical in ensuring accuracy, Randall said.

Including trade-in value of $3,900 for the department's current guns and 16 lights for nighttime, the total cost was $14,442. Randall pointed out that the council had originally budgeted $17,000 for the purchase.

Ward 3 councilor Chris Swanson motioned to approve the H&K handgun purchases.

"I'd prefer not to spend the additional dollars, but you [folks] are the ones on the street and need to have tools that are going to meet the need that we have at this time," Swanson said.

Ward 4 councilor Kerry Kolodge and Ward 2 councilor Sheila Lamb both voted against purchasing the H&K handguns, with Kolodge pointing out that the city normally goes with the lowest bid. Lamb had earlier questioned poor reviews in bad weather conditions.