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County To Replace Police Guns At Risk Of Misfire, Failure

TOWSON, Md. (AP) -- Baltimore County, Maryland, is set to spend $1.4 million to replace over 2,000 local law enforcement pistols that are at risk of misfiring or not firing.

The Baltimore Sun reported Monday that the County Council entered an emergency contract with Pennsylvania-based Atlantic Tactical last month for new Glock 17 Gen5 pistols. The contract still needs council review.

Police Cpl. Shawn Vinson says officers have lost confidence in the gun, which led to an immediate need for a new service weapon.

A county police officer was wounded in September when their FN America FNS-40 pistol misfired. In 2016, one officer's gun fired while holstered and one officer was wounded when a gun fired while being removed from a holster.

The newspaper says FN America did not respond to a request for comment.

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