“Since 1986-87 the Department of Public Safety has utilized the Heckler & Koch (H&K) P7 (M8-M13) 9mm auto loading pistol as the issued duty handgun. Even though the H&K is an excellent weapon, it became apparent by 1996 that the P7 was no longer a viable weapon of choice for DPS. The price of a new H&K with night sights and two magazines, increased from $425 in 1986 to over $1,100 in 1996. After a decade of use, many of the weapons needed routine maintenance; however, replacement parts were expensive and difficult to obtain.
