Bradenton police slated to get new bean bag launchers to replace modified shotguns

Bradenton police officers will soon have more than $32,000 of new and used equipment, including bean bag launchers and motorcycles, to use.

The city council unanimously approved the department’s requests for forfeiture funds to purchase several items Wednesday.

Police will purchase a dozen 40mm launchers, used for bean-bag rounds, along with the bean bag munition and training rounds.

Bean bag rounds now used by the department are a bag filled with a lead shot, which can be fired from 12-gauge shotguns. Bradenton police currently use a converted 12-gauge pump-style shotgun to deploy the bean bag munitions.

“We’re looking for something that doesn’t look or feel like a shotgun,” Bevan said.

The launchers, according to police, will also be more accurate and less likely to cause permanent injury because they use a larger 40mm round.

“The overall goal of these funds is to increase the department’s focus and commitment to de-escalation while reducing the need to employ escalating force,” a memo for the expenditure request stated.

Police will also need to purchase replacement stocks in order to convert the shotguns from firing bean bags back to standard 12-gauge shotguns.

The expected cost for all the launchers, rounds and replacement stocks is $14,434.80.

“These are expensive, but I think it’s well worth it,” Bevan said.

The department is also looking to replace two existing motorcycles by purchasing two used 2017 Harley Davidson police motorcycles, costing about $9,000 each, from the Orlando Police Department. The motorcycles come equipped with emergency lights and are wired for a radar unit.

A police department memo noted the 2017 motorcycles are valued at over $15,000 each.

Bevan said motorcycles are “a valuable tool in policing and traffic enforcement,” though she admitted she’s not a fan of them herself for safety reasons.

Bradenton police will sell a 2003 motorcycle and begin phasing out a 2015 motorcycle.

Another $9,000 of forfeiture funds will go to the police department’s grant program, which gives back financially to community organizations and programs.

Six programs were approved to receive those funds in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500.

This story was originally published August 8, 2019 at 4:59 AM.