Police chief: Orting to evaluate replacement for SIG P320 after state training commission report

Orting Police Chief briefed council that the department is evaluating replacement service pistols following out‑of‑state and state reports about the SIG P320.

Chief said the department adopted the SIG P320 in 2019 as the standard issued sidearm and that the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) recently reported an “uncommanded discharge” incident at a CJTC training center in Spokane. The commission subsequently prohibited SIG P320s at its facilities while it reviewed the matter. The chief told council the department has not had similar incidents locally but decided to evaluate and test alternate firearms out of caution.

Why it matters: CJTC’s decision affects the department’s ability to attend CJTC‑sponsored training with department‑issued firearms and raises potential liability concerns. The chief said vendors will provide sample firearms for range testing and staff will review options; a selection and procurement decision may follow.

Council questions and context: Councilmembers asked about procurement practice and lifespan of issued weapons. The chief said the department standardized to a single model in 2019 to simplify training and logistics and that a typical service life for a duty pistol is estimated at 15–20 years depending on maintenance. He said new recruits are issued department firearms upon academy attendance.

Ending: The chief described the update as informational; no council action or procurement vote took place at the study session. Staff will continue testing and return with a recommendation if a change is proposed.