The NRA believes in standing behind the thin blue line by supporting law enforcement officers through many programs. In September, Jones County Sheriff Department in Mississippi received a $3,400 grant from NRA in order to retire old rifles used by the SWAT Team and Narcotics division, and replace them with two fully suppressed AR-15s. The new firearms will allow the deputies to be better equipped for the different situations they encounter on patrol.
“Us having these rifles on every unit in the county is so important because precious seconds count whenever someone turns loose on one our people or a citizen with a high-powered assault rifle,” said Sheriff Alex Hodge in a Sept. 25 press conference.
The two suppressed Colt AR-15 rifles are intended to help deputies better identify the types of gunfire they may hear in situations as either “friendly” or “threat.” Because they are suppressed, the deputies will also be able to worry less about hearing loss over time.
The old rifles will be passed onto patrol officers in the field. Currently the department has a 2019 application to NRA to continue to pursue funding for the purchase of equipment because the a limited budget.
“As additional funding resources become available we will continue to transition our patrol rifles to suppressed models to deter hearing loss/damage among shooters,” said SWAT Commander and Narcotics Supervisor Lt. Robert Little.
