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Ubiquitous Police Shotgun Still Has Role as Law Enforcement Tool
- Although it has been replaced by semi-automatic rifles in patrol vehicles, the shotgun is still a viable and valuable weapon for law enforcement officers.
Pennsylvania State Police are moving away from equipping troopers with shotguns, the agency stated Tuesday.
"(T)he Department recently determined it appropriate to transition from shotguns and rifles exclusively to the .223-caliber rifle, which offers advantages including a longer effective range," the agency stated in a news release, according to WHTM-TV.
In its statement, the agency continually "re-evaluates its equipment needs." In 2024, the department moved from the .45-caliber Sig-Sauer P227 to the 9mm Walther PDP in order "to meet its current needs for a duty sidearm," the release added.
The announcement comes after a recent investigation found that shotgun pellets from a police shotgun shot fatally struck West York Borough Officer Andrew Duarte during a hospital hostage situation in February. The agency would not comment to WHTM if that incident led to the change.
