In 2015, the Honolulu Police Department moved to “keep guns off the streets.” In a stunning display of political correctness run amok, without the slightest regard to the hard work required to generate police funding, HPD destroyed over a half a million dollars worth of “old” police pistols. The Hawaii County Police Department is going a different way for its switch from 5906 Smith & Wesson stainless steel auto pistols to 9mm GLOCK pistols. From westhawaiitoday.com:
The guns will first go to the recruits, who will learn on the new Glocks right from the get-go, Shopay said. More experienced officers will get them as the old guns continue to wear down and get phased out.
County Purchasing Agent Jeffrey Dansdill made sure there were several places to buy the guns from, rather than having to go with a sole-source contract. Instead, the gun purchase can go out to bid.
“Are there multiple vendors we can purchase from?” he asked.
He was told there are three West Coast mainland sources for the handguns, all who offer rebates.
Unlike the Honolulu Police Department, the Hawaii County department plans to turn in the old Smith & Wessons to the dealer for a rebate. That should earn about $90,000, Shopay said.
The Honolulu Police Department incurred public criticism last year when it opted to destroy more than 2,300 guns, potentially losing $500,000, according to Hawaii News Now.
By putting the used pistols back into the marketplace, the demand for new guns will be reduced, thus putting money that would have gone to gun manufacturers into the pockets of Hawaii taxpayers.
There’s no shortage of pistol manufacturers. If guns are sold to police or gun dealers, they will be directly competing with other pistols, in exactly the same legal channels as newly manufactured guns. The pistols that are used for parts will make old guns more competitive with new guns, performing the same function.
In a time when public resources are limited, conserving them is simply common sense. Wasting them is foolish. The Hawaii Police Department deserves credit for using public resources wisely.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch
They can ship one to me. I love those old Smiths
Huh? How often do they shoot that their guns “wear down”?
Holster wear is a bitch!
I sure liked my 6906. It is one of the firearms I most regret not having anymore. I think I gave it to a friend back in the late 90’s when I switched to a P7, so at least somebody I liked may have it now.
That’s fine with me, those 5906s are some of the best shooting 9mms I’ve had the pleasure of owning. I’d happily take another.
I saw a beautiful 4506 in immaculate condition for 345 and decided to wait a day, it turned out to be a day too late.
“Hawaii County Police Recycle 5906 Smith & Wessons”
That sounds like a lot of weapons for a county police force.
Maybe try
“Hawaii County Police Recycle Smith & Wesson 5906s”
I bet the criminals are pissed that they can’t get those guns anymore.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Follow the leader – idiots.
Local PD traded similar S&W’s back to S&W for the new plastic guns. They thought it was win win until someone pointed out that the guns they traded in to Smith were worth 2 to 3 times what those plastic guns were on the used market. DuhOPE!!!
Another reason why I believe police should not be allowed to carry anything other than a S&W Model 10 and two speed loaders. There should be no police upgrades to anything ‘new’. There should be only one LEO cartridge in the US – .38 Special. When a cop is done with his shift, he can turn in his piece and speedloaders to the department armorer, and the piece is given a quick check, and put into the hands of the next cop going on shift.
If they actually wear a gun down, then they can take it to a ‘smith and get parts replaced and refitted.
Want to flagrantly waste money like this? Then you get people like me calling for you to be paupers.
Hmmm…I’ve seen a seller on Auction Arms with a boatload of 5906’s lately-selling for very reasonable prices. Maybe I could bid on one. And stop making sense Hawaii dudes…
I have heard that some 5906s had a stove pipe issue. I really like these old stainless guns, but I’ve gone with all steel CZs instead.
What gun manufacturers need to do is stop selling guns to the anti-gun states (Hawaii, California) police departments. Oh, I apologize, profits come first, then pro-gun activities. Make the police re-use their old pistols. The Cubans have done a great job with their old cars. When their pistols start to fail they can get replacements off the black market. Then the police can blame the Pols for their demise. Sorry for the rant.
So, since the Hawaii County police are all getting new Glocks, will the state be submitting their names to the FBI database the way it does with law-abiding proles?
Pffft! It’s only the taxpayers money, we can always take more!
I had a 659, which I rather liked, but the clunk&ticker action was so dramatically different from the 1911 actions I was most accustomed to that I finally gave the pistol, 6 magazines, two holsters and a ton of 9mm ammo to my son.
He sold them.
I think he resented that I saddled him with the S&W
Finally, some common sense from Hawaii.
I have a Smith 4003, probably from the mid-90’s or so, and the first semiauto I ever purchased was a 411; fine guns both. I’d love to add a 5906 to the collection, indeed there’s a lot of Third Gen pistols I’d be wont to collect. Being all-steel, I expect most of their trade ins to be in good condition save for holster wear.
Tom