The Dayton Police Department has now added 14 patrol rifles to their arsenal.

Chief Chris Sneed says the department applied for a federal grant for the rifles through the Department of Justice.

After months of processing from the state of Tennessee, Dayton received the grant, and with the money, they purchased fourteen AR-15 semi-automatic rifles.

Chief Sneed says he’d rather his officers have the weapons, than, not have them.

Sneed said, “It’s kinda like the need for a shotgun & handgun we hope and pray we don’t ever have to have them. But in a case where these are so much more accesible to the public. i don’t want my guys showing up to a situation where they needed this rifle and didn’t have it.”

Each patrolling officer received one of the rifles.