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Hanover (dpa / lni) - The modernization of the service weapons of the Lower Saxony police continues.

Since 2015 around 11,500 Heckler & Koch SFP9 pistols have been procured, as the Ministry of the Interior in Hanover announced on request.

Accordingly, the experience with the new service pistol has been very positive.

"In addition to the short familiarization period and the improved handling, the weapon also impresses with a significantly improved hit pattern," it said.

Around 4.35 million euros have been spent on the changeover.

"It is important that the Lower Saxony police is equipped in all areas modern and future-oriented, this also applies to firearms," ​​said Interior Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD).

The reason for the change is that the company Heckler & Koch no longer produces the previous model H&K P2000 in series.

According to the ministry, it is only available by special order and with a correspondingly high surcharge.

The procurement of the new weapons depends on the wear and tear of the P2000.

The limit is reached after around 10,000 rounds or 20 years.

This means that no additional weapons are bought, but old pistols are exchanged for new ones.

When all police officers in Lower Saxony will have a new model, according to the ministry, cannot currently be foreseen.

"First of all, the students at the Lower Saxony Police Academy are equipped annually," said a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Retired officials' pistols are exchanged for retired weapons and continue to be used.

Disused, non-functional pistols are melted down.

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The police union is not aware of any major problems with the new service weapon, as state chairman Dietmar Schilff said.

"The problems that existed in other federal states obviously did not arise here."

In 2018, the SFP9 police pistol failed quality tests in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and there were difficulties with accuracy.

The manufacturer should make improvements.

There were therefore no problems when using it on duty.

In the view of the union, sufficient shooting training is important for the safety of the Lower Saxony police.

"Here the GdP demands that there must be no savings," said Schilff.