Politics & Government

Police Can Buy Their Guns, Supervisors Say

Upper Macungie Police officers will be given the opportunity to purchase their service weapons for $415.

Members of the Upper Macungie Police force will be given first chance to purchase their service weapons for $415, according to the Upper Macungie Board of Supervisors.

The board, earlier in Thursday night's agenda meeting, passed a motion giving  department heads permission to sell excess township equipment.

The 23 service weapons are Glocks, which are 40-caliber guns that were puchased from the now-defunct Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department.

Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Supervisors said the police department members will get the first chance to purchase the weapons. If they decline, the weapons will be sold at auction.

All Upper Macungie police officers who elect to purchase the guns will be subject to a full background check.

Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We'll follow all laws," said supervisor Sam Ashmar. "We don't want firearms getting into the wrong hands.

In another police matter, supervisors hired Ryan A. Mertus as the 28th officer of the new force.

In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Zoning and Code Officer Al Geosits. The board then hired and retained representatives from Keystone Consulting Engineers for a temporary 90-day period.

"We'll see how it works out," said supervisor Kathy Rader. "If it works out, we may continue with that."

Elsewhere, the board set a public hearing at 6:15 p.m., before its scheduled March 7 meeting, concerning a possible zoning ordinance change.

The proposed change would allow apartments to built in a conservation zone.


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