Ammo Shortage Forces Some Police Officers To Barter For Bullets

The ammunition shortage has gotten so bad, some Oklahoma police departments are rationing and even bartering, for bullets. The gun control debate after the Sandy Hook tragedy prompted concerns about future availability and cost increases.

Ammunition for nearly all calibers of weapons have been flying off store shelves around the country. Brick and mortar stores and online suppliers have not been able to keep up with the new demand. At least one Oklahoma police department has started accepting donations to come up with the funds for the rising cost of ammo. Several Oklahoma police departments are also utilizing the old-fashioned bartering method to garner out-of-stock ammo.

Jenks Police Department Chief Cameron Arthur said most officers are having a hard time finding ammunition for shotguns, handguns, and especially rifles. Chief Arthur also noted that the lack of bullets to go around prompted some departments to limit the amount of ammo each officer can carry while awaiting resupply.

Chief Arthur’s police department recently received goods donations from the US military and approximately $3,000 from community members to help cover the cost of necessary supplies. The veteran law enforcement official also maintained that police officers are out-armed on a daily basis and are most frequently killed by assault style rifles.

Oklahoma police officers are not alone in their ammo shortage woes. Law enforcement agencies in Georgia, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Michigan are all reporting similar problems. Some departments are linking the ammunition shortage with the 1.6 billion rounds of ammo purchased by Homeland Security.

Kansas Republican Representative Timothy Huelskamp maintains that Homeland Security has not yet responded to questions posed by Congress about why so much ammo was purchased in the past year. An Associated Press report in February said that Homeland Security officials stated that the ammunition was necessary for agent training and on-duty officers.

The Department of Homeland Security allegedly uses about 15 million rounds per year for training purposes. A strategic sourcing contract would reportedly allow the agency to purchase up to 750 million rounds of ammo at a discount over the next five years for training facility usage. Approximately 70,000 federal agents train at such facilities.

What do you think about the ongoing ammo shortage in America?

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