Milwaukee Police Association sues city after officers’ guns discharge on their own

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Police Affiliation (MPA) filed a lawsuit Monday towards the town to cease the usage of weapons which have a historical past of discharging with out anybody pulling the set off.

As beforehand reported, the weapons Milwaukee Police Division (MPD) officers carry are firing with nobody pulling the set off. The misfires have injured officers thrice up to now yr and a half. The lawsuit follows the latest incident that left a 41-year-old Milwaukee officer shot within the knee on Sept. 10.

“The gun was holstered and the officer was bending all the way down to go within a automobile,” stated Andrew Wagner, president of the Milwaukee Police Affiliation, beforehand instructed TMJ4 Information. “The gun simply went off. His palms had been nowhere close to the weapon.”

RELATED CONTENT: The gun Milwaukee cops carry has historical past of going off with out anybody pulling the set off

In accordance with the lawsuit, the town bought the SIG Sauer P320 (P320) firearm for MPD and MPA members to make use of in 2019. The lawsuit says the town knew or ought to have identified in regards to the discharge and issues of safety prior to buying the weapons for MPD.

All members had been required to endure coaching for the brand new firearm. The lawsuit says at this coaching, the town “did not disclose that the P320 had points with discharging with out a set off pull, and the officers relied on the protection coaching to be correct and full.”

On July 14, 2020, an officer’s gun by accident discharged whereas with a suspect, capturing the officer within the leg. The officer needed to endure rehabilitation and bodily remedy.

An MPD Sargent broke down the officer’s P320 and found the firearm was lacking a component and authored a report, the lawsuit stated. The Sgt. famous he had considerations with the P320 having a threat of an unintended discharge. He was then contacted by a Main from the Division of Veteran’s Affairs who stated their company had additionally skilled an unintended discharge from a P320, injuring an officer.

The lawsuit says throughout a convention name with SIG Sauer concerning the firearm’s security, SIG Sauer was “unwilling to state that the P320 wouldn’t discharge if it was dropped, slammed, or jostled.” Throughout the identical name, SIG Sauer allegedly acknowledged the firearm had an “extra threat of not firing when an officer wanted it to.”

The lawsuit says the town is endangering the protection of its officers and most people by issuing its officers the firearm. The lawsuit asks {that a} decide power the town to pay damages for the accidents acquired and exchange each issued P320 with a safer firearm.

Report a typo or error // Submit a information tip