Montgomery County public safety officials spent much of their time during taxpayer funded training courses testing out handguns and sniper rifles in a field in Frederick before buying them at well below the market value, according to a new report from the county Sheriff’s Office.
The report, obtained by The Examiner, provides new details about the operations of two police-owned training companies that are under investigation for fraud.
The report also shows that 25 sheriff’s deputies bought handguns, mostly Glocks, from one of the companies being investigated, called Applied Sciences for Public Safety.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Applied Sciences, and a related company called Global Law Enforcement Advisory Group, used county money to subsidize the price of the guns they sold to county employees.
During a course where handguns were offered, Sheriff deputies and police officers would show up to a house in Laytonsville for a day of lectures, safety videos, and drills with guns that shoot paintball pellets, the report said.
On the second day of the course, law enforcement officials, whose $1,495 tuition for the course was paid in full by the county, went to Frederick where they would test out a number of handguns and pick the one they wanted to buy.
After filling out paper work, having their driver’s license copied and paying $99, the class participants would get a business card for Engage Armaments in Kensington, where they could pick up a factory new handguns after a few days, the report said.
Some deputies described the courses as “alright” and “mediocre.”
Ted Sabate, the owner of Engage Armaments, said he was only the “transferring agent” of the guns and didn’t actually sell them to the class participants.
The guns sell at retail for up to $600, according area gun employees. Bulk discounts, even for law enforcement officers, wouldn’t come close to the $99 price tag for new weapons, they said.
“I think it would cost Glock more than [$99] to make the gun,” said Andrew Amerine, assistant manager at Guns and Ammo Warehouse in Manassas.
“That’s cheap, I wish I could buy them that cheap,” Sabate said.
Three deputies obtained sniper rifles at discounts and 12 deputies were given $200 to $250 flashlights through other courses, the report said.
The report shows that Aaron Bailey, a detective with the Montgomery County firearms unit, owns and operated both Applied Sciences and Global Law Enforcement.
Bailey told The Examiner that the sheriff’s report was inaccurate before referring questions to his lawyer, who did not return phone calls.
