KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana |Opelousas PD Buys Machine Gun

Opelousas PD Buys Machine Gun

March 31, 2003
Reported by Erica Young

Opelousas police don't want to be out-gunned, so they've bought a machine gun which can be mounted on the department's armored personnel carrier. The department is the first in the state to buy the weapon, recently made legal for police by the Homeland Security Act.

Opelousas was prompted by incidents in other cities, like the gunfight last month in which five Alexandria police officers were shot, two of them fatally.

The department's new machine gun, an M-2-4-9 squad automatic weapon, can put out 850 rounds a minute. The department bought a 200-round belt, a 100-round magazine and a replacement barrel to go with the gun.

Captain Mark LeBlanc hopes the weapon will never be used in anger. He believes just the knowledge that his department has it will act as a deterrent.