Four different police departments in Connecticut have recently fielded the Heckler & Koch USA HK VP9. They include the Connecticut State Capitol Police in Hartford, CT, the Brookfield Police, Clinton Police and New Haven Police. In total, these contracts account for nearly 200 new VP9 pistols in service with Connecticut law enforcement officers.
“These departments were looking for a safe, reliable pistol at a level that our competitors simply do not offer,” said H&K Law Enforcement sales manager Jason Whitten. “The NATO AC225 testing we subject all of our products to, along with NIJ certification, carried a lot of weight with each of them.”
While safety and reliability were major factors for these departments, the VP9 also has a well-deserved reputation for being a handgun that helps officers shoot better. Whitten reports that many departments across the U.S. have seen an improvement in qualifying scores shortly after adopting the VP9. “I’ve seen it again and again,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen in Connecticut with these departments as well.”
Heckler & Koch introduced the VP9 in 2014. That year Shooting Illustrated’s Daniel T. McElrath reviewed the pistol. “Once the optimal combination of inserts is achieved, the pistol feels terrific in the hand,” he wrote. “The controls are easy to reach and activate, and the trigger is a welcome departure from what we’ve come to expect in a DAO unit.”
“Never really one to subscribe to the idea of perfection in a pistol, I have been carrying a heavily customized polymer-frame, striker-fired handgun for about 15 years,” he adds. “However, the stock VP9 seems as good or better. The controls are larger and easier to operate, and function more positively. Also, H&K’s new handgun is ambidextrous, while my pistol is not.”
