The Milwaukee County (Wis.) Sheriff's Office got a great deal on new service weapons, placing an order for 565 Glock handguns for $72,320.

The sheriff's office will equip its 275 deputies, as well as correctional officers with weapons training, with Generation 4 Glock pistols chambered in .40 S&W, including the full-size G22 and sub-compact G27. Upper command staff and undercover deputies will have the option to take the G27 in addition to the G22, Fran McLaughlin, the agency's public information officer, told POLICE Magazine.

The pistols regularly cost $429 a piece, but by trading in 10-year-old models the office was able to pay only $139 per weapon.

The pistols feature a textured grip, customizable grip for various hand sizes, and a reinforced recoil spring.

Critics blasted the purchase, with county Supervisor John Weishan Jr. telling the Journal Sentinel that there's "absolutely no reason to justify this." Weishan also questioned the bulk order.

"We're not fighting a war here," Weishan said. "A deputy is just going to fire his weapon on the range. The most wear and tear on a weapon is just cleaning it."

By Paul Clinton

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