Schaumburg police swap shotguns for something a bit more accurate

Schaumburg police will benefit from a trade-in deal to replace their squad car shotguns with rifles.

The deal makes the usually costly transition many other departments have made in recent years almost free for Schaumburg.

The department made the announcement Tuesday, while also unveiling plans to destroy nearly 60 weapons that have been seized or turned in over the past two years.

Shore Galleries in Lincolnwood provided $29,000 of credit to Schaumburg to trade in shotguns, ammunition and other weapons officers no longer in use.

With the credit, the department was able to buy 14 .223-caliber rifles and 12 .308-caliber rifles.

"Essentially, it's a cost-neutral event for us," Schaumburg police Sgt. John Nebl said.

The department's only cost is for the new gun racks for the squad cars, which will now carry the rifles instead of the 12-gauge shotguns.

Officer Brian McIntyre, the department armorer, and Officer Paul Mydlach, the department range master, received department awards of excellence for striking the deal, Nebl said.

The department's 12-member rifle team will be upgraded from .223-caliber rifles to the .308-caliber variety. Patrol officers will inherit the .223-caliber guns.

Mydlach said many departments have made the move in recent years, in part because officers more often find themselves facing better-armed offenders.

Rifles are superior to shotguns in many situations for increased fire power, range and accuracy, Nebl said. Also, pump-action shotguns are hampered by a stronger recoil and the fact that they hold only four rounds compared to the 20 or 30 of the new rifles.

"It's just a more flexible gun for an urban environment," Nebl said. "A shotgun is a little bit longer, a little more cumbersome."

The full transition is expected to take three to six months, but only a small learning curve is anticipated. McIntyre said anyone proficient in using a shotgun should have no difficulties with a rifle.

Arlington Heights police Commander Michael Miljan said his department made the transition to rifles 15 to 20 years ago and is in the process of moving to its third generation of rifles.

Among the factors that led to the change was the increased range and accuracy of the rifles, which can help reduce department liability.

"The shotgun is a very devastating weapon at close range, but not the most precise," Miljan said. "The shotgun has a spreading range, like throwing a handful of rocks at someone."

Also Tuesday, Schaumburg police displayed many of the captured or surrendered weapons that will soon be melted down at a private facility.

More than 20 of them were confiscated during arrests or criminal investigations for such offenses as lack of a firearm owner's ID card, reckless conduct, aggravated assault and reckless discharge of a weapon. None was involved in a homicide, Nebl said. At least one was confiscated from a suicidal subject.

Nearly twice as many weapons - including knives, shotguns, handguns and bayonets - were voluntarily turned into the department and will be destroyed in the same manner.

The most common reason for voluntary surrender of a weapon is that the person who owned it has died and the surviving family wants to dispose of it in a safe way, Nebl said.

Residents wishing to turn in a weapon should unload it and bring it, preferably in a gun case, to the station at 1000 W. Schaumburg Road.

Anyone unable to unload a gun or safely determine if it's loaded should call the department to request an officer be sent (847) 882-3586.