Sgt. Kathy Gray demonstrates the new DAK firearms in use by Kendall County deputies. Photos by Lauri Gray Eaton

By Lauri Gray Eaton
Editor of the View

The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office last week received new firearms to be used by its deputies. The KCSO is upgrading from the Sig-Sauer .45 caliber pistol to the SigArms Model P226R DAK semi-automatic handgun, which fires the .357 SIG caliber round.

The new gun carries certain advantages, said Chief Deputy Matt King.

The .357 SIG round is more powerful than the .45 and thus has more “stopping power.” The new weapon also has less recoil and is easier to control than the .45, he said.

Each magazine of the DAK handgun holds 12 rounds of ammunition. The .45 held only seven rounds.

The gun’s trigger system also makes it safer to carry in high-stress situations and has less chance for accidental discharging because there is no de-cocking mechanism to manipulate. It is considered a more “officer friendly” firearm than the conventional semi-automatic versions, said King.

Texas Department of Public Safety officers also carry the DAK weapon on patrol.

Sheriff Roger Duncan said he was initially resistant to changing his department’s arms, adopting an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” stance, but he said he was eventually convinced of the safety advantages after watching his officers in target-practice action.

The KCSO weapons were purchased with seized asset forfeiture funds.

“We feel that the acquisition of these firearms will be a benefit to our deputies, and we are very pleased that we were able to obtain them at no cost to the citizens of Kendall County,” said King.

Calling the upgrade “a sound investment for our deputies’ safety and protection,” Duncan noted, “In Kendall County, we are very fortunate that we are not called to use these weapons very often.”