Phenix City, Alabama. Not Phoenix, Arizona. 
Even so, good news for HK. I don't know of any other LEO agencies that have adopted the VP9.
Even so, good news for HK. I don't know of any other LEO agencies that have adopted the VP9.
Phenix City, AL- First U.S. LEO to adopt VP?
Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere. Before starting this thread, I did a search but didn't find this story elsewhere on this site.
According to this article, the Phoenix City Police have adopted the VP40 has their standard issue pistol.
Heckler & Koch to supply .40-caliber pistols for Phenix City police | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Anyone know of other agencies that have adopted the VP-series?
Also, from this article, it appears that H&K is giving the department a huge credit for returning Glocks, so the department is effectively trading in their old Glock .40 for the VP40s, which are costing them only $150/piece... Is H&K jumping into the Glock/M&P game to win law enforcement contracts?!!
According to this article, the Phoenix City Police have adopted the VP40 has their standard issue pistol.
Heckler & Koch to supply .40-caliber pistols for Phenix City police | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Anyone know of other agencies that have adopted the VP-series?
Also, from this article, it appears that H&K is giving the department a huge credit for returning Glocks, so the department is effectively trading in their old Glock .40 for the VP40s, which are costing them only $150/piece... Is H&K jumping into the Glock/M&P game to win law enforcement contracts?!!
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:900:Phenix City, Alabama. Not Phoenix, Arizona.
Even so, good news for HK. I don't know of any other LEO agencies that have adopted the VP9.
Another great quote from the article: "Police Chief Ray Smith said the decision came after officers fired demonstration pistols and all had better scores with the weapon."
Could this be the beginning of HK's rampage into this market???? A new corporate strategy?!
Wonder why they didn't go for the vp9? With improvements with 9mm ammunition along with higher capacity and reduced recoil. I imagine ammo is less expensive with 9mm.
Wouldn't count on it. Most entities in charge of procurement will probably stick with what they know, i.e., Glock. Although the much lower price point of the VP series probably won't hurt.
Totally just guessing, but it could be that Phenix has a bunch of .40 cal ammo on hand already... or that changing calibers would have required a different RFP, etc.Wonder why they didn't go for the vp9? With improvements with 9mm ammunition along with higher capacity and reduced recoil. I imagine ammo is less expensive with 9mm.
I agree that they probably won't change most minds... However, I think what's really interesting about the story is that H&K is, in fact, offering an exchange deal in the first place. I don't follow this as closely as others, so I could be wrong. But I was under the impression that Glock and S&W were the only two manufacturers that offered these kinds of discount/exchange deals to LE agencies. By doing that, they made it very very hard for any other brand to compete because it would be hard for an agency to justify paying $400/pistol when they could get updated new guns for $100-$150 a piece.Wouldn't count on it. Most entities in charge of procurement will probably stick with what they know, i.e., Glock. Although the much lower price point of the VP series probably won't hurt.
If H&K is now offering that, isn't it a huge change?
I would hope so. It would open the possibility for HK to grab a share of a very lucrative market, which they desperately need these days.
Looks like they didn't buy into the 9mm hype and stuck with the 40, wise choice the VP40 was.
However, the article incorrectly states the VP40 is built in Columbus.
However, the article incorrectly states the VP40 is built in Columbus.
Are you sure they are not being built in Columbus? I think all the Glocks used by JSOC were made in Smyrna. Maybe HK started assembly in their US HQ. Also I think .40 is a good choice for most LE.
They probably feel like many that the 40 remains superior. Most fear the 40 because of arms not engineered for it. HK however engineers for the 40 in mind first and then steps downward to 9. Therefore the HK 40s to me feel far softer like pussycats with a powerful punch on the other end and a larger hole with better chances of nicking a vital.Wonder why they didn't go for the vp9? With improvements with 9mm ammunition along with higher capacity and reduced recoil. I imagine ammo is less expensive with 9mm.
Also as said above, they have may have the ammo and who knows, perhaps other 40s in their armory. They might also have a large bodied force as it tends to be the smaller personnel needing the 9s which is why the FBI changed over to have one round for all size agents.
VP40, one fine sidearm!
Priced like a block but thankfully not one. :biggrin:
To bad it wasn't Phoenix Az, that is a huge department. I have to assume Phenix City, Al. is a smaller sized PD?Phenix City, Alabama. Not Phoenix, Arizona.
Even so, good news for HK. I don't know of any other LEO agencies that have adopted the VP9.
Phenix City is a sister city to Columbus for what it is worth. Maybe the proximity to HK had some influence.Phenix City, Alabama. Not Phoenix, Arizona.
Even so, good news for HK. I don't know of any other LEO agencies that have adopted the VP9.
It's an ideal test market due to its proximity for both the department and manufacturer. Hundreds of weapons in daily field use a short drive away.Phenix City is a sister city to Columbus for what it is worth. Maybe the proximity to HK had some influence.
It usually does. I am sure HK offered them a sweet deal.Phenix City is a sister city to Columbus for what it is worth. Maybe the proximity to HK had some influence.
Ironically the Loudoun County Sheriffs office (where HK is based in northern VA) just traded in their P30's for SIG's so win one, lose one.
Nothing is made in Columbus (yet) just distributed from there but that is soon to change (if the train stays on the tracks).
There once was $20M set aside to build a factory in Columbus on a piece of land donated by the town, big ground breaking conducted, a spade or two of dirt turned over then all stop. The owners pocketed the money instead. Had that been built as planned in the early 2000's things would be quite different indeed.
G3Kurz
I've heard about that project. If only things were different...we could have been swimming in true 416 uppers and other goodies.It usually does. I am sure HK offered them a sweet deal.
Ironically the Loudoun County Sheriffs office (where HK is based in northern VA) just traded in their P30's for SIG's so win one, lose one.
Nothing is made in Columbus (yet) just distributed from there but that is soon to change (if the train stays on the tracks).
There once was $20M set aside to build a factory in Columbus on a piece of land donated by the town, big ground breaking conducted, a spade or two of dirt turned over then all stop. The owners pocketed the money instead. Had that been built as planned in the early 2000's things would be quite different indeed.
G3Kurz
"pocketed"? I think that's a bit unfair Mr. Schatz. I would offer the perspective that the owners chose to avoid a potentially volatile investment in production capacity. Instead, they opted to split that capital investment between some durable goods in the marine transport sector and some real estate holdings. Seems like a perfectly reasonable strategic corporate decision. :biggrin:The owners pocketed the money instead.
G3Kurz
The VP 40 shoots like a 9mm firearm.Much has to do with the slide I believe. I think its one of the best 40's out theirWonder why they didn't go for the vp9? With improvements with 9mm ammunition along with higher capacity and reduced recoil. I imagine ammo is less expensive with 9mm.
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