M79

The M79 grenade launcher (pictured above) is a single shot, break-open weapon with rifled barrel.

In a Facebook post promoting their recently released annual report, the ACLU of Massachusetts posed a question to their followers: "West Springfield police have two grenade launchers - why?"

Before the turn of the millennium, the West Springfield Police Department received two M79 grenade launchers and seven M14 rifles through a Department of Defense program.

The Department of Defense excess property program, commonly known as the 1033 program, allows the Secretary of Defense to transfer excess DoD equipment and supplies to state and local law enforcement agencies. There is no purchase fee for the program, though agencies are required to pay for any shipping or transportation costs.

"The type of property available includes but is not limited to tactical and riot gear, vehicles, watercraft, weapons, and night vision," according to the state government webpage on the program. "All equipment must be strictly accounted for. When no longer needed agencies must request permission for turn in, transfer, or disposal."

This is the photo the ACLU shared on Facebook. Note: these are not M79 grenade launchers. These are XM25 counter defilade target engagement systems, air burst grenade launchers commonly referred to "the Punisher."

Records of the requests show most departments request rifles. Westfield obtained 15 M14 rifles and 19 M16 rifles through the program. Monson received three M14s and three M16s. Springfield was given four M14s.

West Springfield was the only department that received grenade launchers.

Of the grenade launchers, Chief Ronald P. Campurciani said they have never been used in the field nor will they ever be.

"I cannot think of a scenario where we would employ those weapons," Campurciani said.

The rifles and grenade launchers were obtained by the department in the late 90's, at no cost - shipping or otherwise. The weapons were acquired with M651 military tear gas cartridges.

As Campurciani became chief in 2012, he said he was unable speak on why they were obtained.

In a 2009 interview, then-Chief Thomas Burke spoke of the weapons.

Burke said the weapons allowed the department to be prepared for incidents such as school shootings.

He added, "The bad guys have no rules. We have all the rules. Don’t worry about us, we’re trained. If we need them, we’ll use them. If we don’t need them, we won’t use them."

Five years later, Campurciani said the department cannot use the weapons even if they wanted to.

"They're so old and antiquated," Campurciani said, of the technology.

The M651 military tear gas cartridges are made of a hard metal - typically aluminum - and contain CS in a solid form. When fired, a fuse within the cartridge is ignited and transitions the solid CS into gas form. The gas is then designed to escape through a vent at the bottom of the cartridge.

Such cartridges made headlines around the time that the West Springfield police acquired them. The M651 cartridges were used by the FBI during the Waco siege. Some questioned if the cartridge started the fire that killed 76 people, though a government investigation concluded that sect members started the blaze themselves.

"Those are the flammable ones, those things get very hot when they burn," Campurciani said. "They're pretty much obsolete now."

Typically, civilian law enforcement agencies use plastic cartridges that contain CS gas in powder or liquid form now, which spreads the material when it shatters on impact.

In addition to the risk of sparking a fire, Campurciani said the canisters shoot inaccurately.

The police chief said the only time the grenade launchers have been fired by West Springfield officers was at a shooting range. While testing out the weapons, Campurciani said they shot off target.

With no intention of using the grenade launchers, Campurciani said they are locked up in an all-metal room within the armory, away from other weapons.

Related posts

> Westfield police training rifles received through DoD program

> Who gets the guns?: Infographic shows police military surplus weapons in Massachusetts

> Massachusetts SWAT teams deny open records request, claim they're private corporations; ACLU files suit

