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Albany police request 30 patrol rifles; commissioners press for secure storage
Summary
Police requested approval to buy 30 M4-style patrol rifles to standardize equipment for officers trained in ALERT; commissioners asked about in-vehicle security and vault options for safeguarding weapons.
City police leadership told the commission Sept. 2 they plan to purchase 30 M4‑style patrol rifles and related accessories from the manufacturer Sons of Liberty Gun Works to equip sworn personnel, particularly the 50 officers trained in the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response (ALERT) program.
The chief said the department currently has roughly 20 patrol rifles in circulation and wants to standardize on one platform so that all 50 trained personnel will be fully equipped as training and fleet purchases continue. "This purchase of these 30 rifles will ensure that all of those personnel are fully equipped with all the equipment for their per training," the chief said.
Commissioners questioned how the rifles will be secured when assigned to vehicles. The chief said future vehicle purchases will include mounts and discussed plans for a vault option in certain SUVs; some specialized officers will keep weapons secured in vaults or inside vehicles when appropriate. The chief and staff said fleet and procurement will phase in installation of mounts and integrated vaults as new vehicles arrive.
The item was presented for approval during the work session; commissioners raised follow‑up questions about storage and lifecycle considerations and the department said it will coordinate fleet modifications and future purchases to address security concerns.
What happens next: staff will return with procurement documents and specifications for approval and will coordinate with fleet on vault and mounting options.
