Records show Oklahoma law enforcement officials concerned over popular service weapon

The handgun that discharged on the Blanchard Elementary School playground in December has put state officials on alert. News 9 uncovered new documents outlining the conversations and concerns behind the scenes about a popular law enforcement service weapon. 

McClain County unintentional discharge investigation in December 

The Sig Sauer P320 handgun has drawn concerns in Oklahoma and nationwide. The McClain County Sheriff's Office said a Blanchard school resource officer was handing out stickers and helping a student zip up their jacket when his gun went off. 

Investigators later found that a student was able to get their finger on the trigger while the gun was holstered. A former law enforcement officer told News 9 it is standard practice to keep a bullet chambered.

No mechanical issues with Blanchard SRO’s service weapon 

McClain County Sheriff Deputy Scott Gibbons said in December — investigators couldn't find any malfunctions with the pistol's holster or the SIG P320 pistol. He said deputies bought their own service weapons due to budget limits, which is common for smaller departments. Gibbons’ office is reviewing that policy. 

National issues related to Sig Sauer P320 service pistols 

While investigators say the gun in Blanchard was set off by a child, reports show the same type of gun has gone off in other states with no one touching the trigger. The gun's manufacturer, Sig Sauer, settled two injury lawsuits in Georgia and Pennsylvania last year over the same P320 model. In both cases, the plaintiffs sued after their holstered pistols went off by themselves. Those settlements totaled more than $13 million. 

Records reveal concerns from state law enforcement officials 

Oklahoma's Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) is trying to prevent officers from potential harm. Sig Sauer has said its firearm is safe. However, emails we received through an open records request show state officials questioning the gun model's place in law enforcement training. 

Oklahoma City Police recently replaced Sig Sauer equipment  

An email to CLEET from Oklahoma City Police said the department recently replaced Sig Sauer P320 service weapons with an alternative platform. An OCPD major wrote, “The Oklahoma City Police Department recently replaced their department-issued Sig Sauer P320 weapons with the H&K V9 platform.” 

CLEET changes training center policy on firearms 

In February, CLEET director Darry Stacy told staff these firearms “will no longer be allowed” at the K.O. Rayburn Training Center in Ada - “unless they are equipped with an external manual safety” to “reduce the risk of unintentional discharges.” 

Sig Sauer sent a letter to CLEET, calling concerns with its firearm “misleading and meritless.” 

Call to ban specific holsters 

Following the Blanchard incident, Guthrie Police Chief Don Sweger told CLEET officials to consider disallowing “holsters that require the trigger finger to disable the holster’s retention mechanism." Sweger said, "The trigger finger manipulated holster has proven time again to be unsafe.” 

Unintentional discharges cause injuries to officers in Texas 

Last year, Austin CBS affiliate KEYE told the story of La Grange, Texas, police officer Kevin Currington’s experience who suffered a gunshot wound from his Sig Sauer P320 without taking it out of his holster. The same thing happened to Marble Falls School Resource Officer Hunter Gally last year.     

Washington state agency bans P320 from training  

The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission banned the use of the P320 in training this year, citing safety reasons.