David Spade's Arms Deal

The former Just Shoot Me star made a grand gesture to the Phoenix Police Department, giving them funds to equip their officers with AR-15 rifles to counter the firepower of increasingly violent Mexican drug cartels.

The thing is, Spade's donation doesn't seem to be going as far as it should.

The Phoenix Police Department has gotten some high-powered goodies courtesy of actor David Spade.
The one-time Phoenix resident donated $100,000 so that the department can buy approximately 50 AR-15 rifles.
Spade said he wanted to make the donation after seeing a TV news report about Phoenix officers having to buy their own rifles. Spade grew up in the Phoenix area and graduated from Arizona State University.
Phoenix Police Sgt. Alan Hill says the rifles will be given to patrol officers and that the agency was grateful for the gifts.

But how is Spade's donation of $100,000 leading to just 50 rifles for PPD patrol officers?

Even with the tremendous increase in demand due to the election of Barack Obama, the Phoenix Police should be able to get AR-15 carbines for far less than $2,000 a copy that the story seems to indicate.

The Bushmaster Patrolmans' Carbine, an M4-style AR-15 marketed to law enforcement, retails for less than $1,300, roughly the same as a similar version made by Smith & Wesson. And these are premium AR-style rifles at retail prices—there is no reason on the earth that a bulk agency purchase can't buy these rifles for less than a thousand dollars (the automatic M-16 has a replacement to the military of $586).

If Spade's donation is also helping purchase ammunition, magazines, cleaning kits, and/or officer training for these rifles as well, then he's not getting a bad value for his donated dollars. I would hope that his generous donation isn't being squandered on over-priced weapons, or the appearance of the same created by journalists guilty once again of not thoroughly covering a story.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 04:21 PM

Comments

1 Bang for the buck aside (pun intended), that's a pretty cool bit of charitable work by Spade.

Posted by: Mike Gray at December 24, 2008 10:46 PM (fBnZs)

2 Will La Raza and MEChA now condemn Spade and call for a boycott of any movie in which he appears?

Posted by: zhombre at December 25, 2008 12:03 PM (w8VN7)

3 Phoenix PD should be able to get surplus M-16s from the DoD via DRMO, and the cost would be pennies compared to $2k a pop like I have seen reported.

Posted by: Mark at December 26, 2008 08:01 AM (lcisk)

4 More than likely this donation is being fleeced, as is often the case with govt. purchases.

Posted by: Dude at December 26, 2008 09:01 AM (byA+E)

5 ...or maybe the rifles are equipped with some kind of scope or rail system. $2k doesn't sound unreasonable for a Patrolman's carbine + ACOG, for example. Let's hold off until we get the details.... and even if the money isn't being spent wisely, it's certainly not David Spade's fault.

Posted by: rosignol at December 26, 2008 07:42 PM (XMy8S)

6 Wouldn't Mini-14's be cheaper?

Posted by: PA at December 27, 2008 01:57 AM (Z0HFQ)

7
Let's hold off until we get the details....

Rots o' Ruck. That course of action doesn't seem to be the Right-Wing Echo Machine's strong suit.

The reporter undoubtedly asked the PPD public relations officer, "So what'll you get for $100,000?" And the guy said, "Approximately 50 AR-15 rifles." And now it's the reporter's fault. Why? Because he's a reporter. Nice, CY. And this New Media approach is better than the old one how...?

Posted by: Mike's Dumbmerica at December 27, 2008 08:56 AM (CwxZw)

8 And this New Media approach is better than the old one how...?

17.

Hey, ask a stupid question... ;-)

Posted by: Templar at December 28, 2008 05:53 PM (wfAl5)

9 Like Rosignol says, if they're getting models with multiple-rail forends and lights, etc., and good optical sights, they price goes up. Fast. Add in ammo, maintenance kits, spare parts(if they're smart), that cuts down on how many.

Of course, if they're getting basic rifles, that's WAY too expensive.

Posted by: Firehand at December 29, 2008 09:53 AM (oHcWz)

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