Trustees Approve Tactical Weapons For Police

The Colerain Township Chief of police says his officers will soon have more powerful guns to protect the public and themselves. Chief Dan Meloy received approval Tuesday night from the township trustees to purchase fifteen AR-15 rifles.

Several local departments, including the Hamilton County Sheriff, Indian Hill, the University of Cincinnati Police, and Blue Ash already are using what police describe as "tactical weapons". The AR-15 rifles pack a powerful shot but only fire one round at a time.  They do not fire bullets uncontrollably and are not assault rifles.

Colerain Township Police Chief Dan Meloy says more his officers are coming face to face with bad guys who have the upper hand because they have more firepower. Officers are currently armed with 9 mm pistols.

Meloy points to an incident last month when a Colerain Township man named Timothy Sturgel pointed an assault rifle at officers after he allegedly shot his parents Jerry and Mary Sturgel and 13 year old step-sister Emily Hurst inside this home on Sacramento Street.

Chief Meloy says he began pushing for his officers to get tactical weapons after an incident in 2004 where a gunman killed a local Kmart employee, then shot at officers before taking his own life with an assault rifle.

Chief Meloy says each rifle will cost around a thousand dollars, plus the department will have to pay to have officers trained to properly use them.   But he says the department has three antique guns which he believes they can sell to collectors to earn enough money to pay for the rifles.  The Trustees gave him their approval.