Marion City Council Unanimously Approves Purchase of 32 AR-15 Rifles for Marion Police Department

The Marion City Council Thursday night unanimously approved the purchase of 32 AR-15 semi-automatic rifles for the Marion Police Department.

Speaking in favor of the purchase, council member Louis Stark cited recent national scares, as well as a recent incident at Linn-Mar, as a climate that Marion Police need to be prepared for.

"I think it's important that we move forward and proceed so our officers are not put in danger in today's climate," Stark said.

The council approved purchase of now 32 AR-15 rifles at the cost of $63,824. In addition, the city council will not make the officers pay and eventually own the rifles, as was originally discussed, but rather will pay the amount and having the city own the rifles.

Stark argued that the city could make the purchase, because while it was "noble" that officers had stepped forward to buy the guns on their own, this would deprive fellow officers of what could be vital equipment.

Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty said that some officers might step forward to buy the guns themselves anyway due to the good deal.

"Believe it or not this is a good price, some people don't think it is a good price but it is," Daughterty said.

Daugherty said that with the 32 guns purchased for officers, all 32 officers will receive training in their use and then it will become a required armament in every Marion Police squad car.

Craig Adamson was the only city council member who had anything negative to say about the purchase, calling it "reactionary." Adamson said that despite this he would vote for the AR-15 motion.

"I think we could have debated it better, and then I wouldn't have to be such a stickler on some of this stuff." Adamson said.

Adamson asked City Manager Lon Pluckhahn if people who wanted to donate to help defray the cost as they had offered before. Pluckhahn responded that similar to the police's K-9 program, they would be able to do so if they wished.