The Henderson Police Department in Nevada (HPD) officially adopted the full-size Springfield Armory Echelon 4.5F and compact 4.0C 9 mm Luger-chambered pistols for its nearly 400 officers in late December. The news came only days before the St. Louis County police department (SLC) in Missouri selected the Echelon 4.5F for its uniformed officers.
HPD’s comprehensive review of its weapons platforms revealed numerous deficiencies in issued sidearms, including an inability to provide an ideal fit for the wide variety of officer hand sizes. It was then decided to identify a new platform that adhered to the following design requirements: striker-fired, modular design (adaptable to different hand sizes), fully ambidextrous controls, increased magazine capacity, factory-installed night sights and an optics-ready slide.
Over the course of several months, the Springfield Armory Echelon and other competing designs were rigorously tested under a wide range of conditions with a broad selection of loadings. In addition to these internal evaluations, multiple open-range sessions were hosted to allow all HPD officers to test the review pistols and fill out an objective 14-category rating form. All tested Echelons ran flawlessly and HPD officers overwhelmingly selected it as their preferred platform.
“The Echelon met every one of our design goals,” said Lieutenant Craig Mancuso of the HPD’s in-service training division. “It provided a modular, striker-fired, ambidextrous and optics-ready system with extended 20-round magazines. We also procured a selection of large and small grip modules to ensure every officer achieved an ideal fit.”
“We are extremely proud to provide the Echelon 4.5F and 4.0C for use by the officers of the Henderson Police Department,” said Fred Mincks, Springfield Armory’s law enforcement sales manager. “The Echelon’s advanced design and modular features make it perfectly suited for their demanding requirements—with the results showing in their qualification scores. The Echelon is the perfect partner for these officers on their mission to ensure the safety of their community.”
SLC’s more than 900 uniformed officers will soon be carrying the Echelon 4.5F. Its decision was also based, in part, on the pistol’s modularity.
The gun’s patent-pending Central Operating Group is serialized stainless steel chassis that is entirely self-contained. The system is easily moved between available grip modules in seconds. Coupled with three interchangeable backstrap sizes—that fit all grip sizes—it allows customization to accommodate different hand sizes.
“Springfield Armory has a strong commitment to supporting the law enforcement community,” said Fred Mincks, Springfield Armory law enforcement sales manager. “We are proud to have been able to provide such a capable firearm to the St. Louis County police department to help them keep their community safe.”
The Echelon also uses an innovative Variable Interface System. It exerts lateral pressure on the optic’s interior mounting surface to ensure reliable point of aim/point of impact coincidence.
“For any department looking for a new weapon system, we can highly recommend the Springfield Armory Echelon series of pistols as a durable, highly configurable platform that can fulfill multiple roles,” said O. Jason Dite, department armorer for the St. Louis County Police. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Springfield Armory and the innovative Echelon models.”
