High demand in ammunition causes shortfall for local police departments

PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. - The recent spike in demand of assault rifle ammunition has caused a shortfall for local police departments.

Sgt. Byron Roberson of the Prairie Village Police Department said he's had a tough time restocking his department's ammunition.

"We've been calling different whole sale distributors that we use," Roberson said. "Come to find out, they're the same distributors that give to the big box stores."

OMB Guns in Olathe sells guns to both civilians and law enforcement agencies.

"Things have gone just absolutely crazy as far as gun sales, ammunition sales," explained Casey Flack, OMB sales manager. "The typical demand for a police department is now being impeded on by the amount of ammunition sales from the civilian market."

Roberson, like many other department officials, has been put on a waiting list and doesn't expect to get any assault rifle ammunition until May.

"Being a police department, we try to have some contingency setup so that we have ammunition to last us some time," Roberson said.

If the reserves run out, Roberson said he'll rely on other agencies to loan ammunition to Prairie Village.

"If we have some and another department needs it, we'll let them borrow it and vice versa," Roberson said. "We'll be okay. We'll find a way to make sure we're able to stay proficient with our weapons."