Henderson Police Department Adopts Springfield Armory Echelon Pistols

Springfield Armory has announced that the Henderson Police Department (HPD) in Henderson, Nevada, has officially adopted the Echelon 9mm pistol as its new duty handgun. Following an extensive evaluation process, HPD selected both the full-size Echelon 4.5F and the compact Echelon 4.0C for service across multiple divisions.

According to Springfield Armory, the decision followed a comprehensive review of the department’s previously issued pistols, which were found to fall short in accommodating the wide range of officer hand sizes. HPD set out to identify a replacement platform that met a clear list of requirements, including a striker-fired operating system, modular ergonomics, fully ambidextrous controls, increased magazine capacity, factory night sights, and an optics-ready slide.

The Echelon 9mm was evaluated alongside several competing designs during months of testing that included varied environmental conditions and a broad selection of ammunition. HPD also conducted open-range evaluation sessions, allowing officers to handle and shoot each candidate pistol and complete a detailed 14-category rating form. All pistols reportedly functioned without issue, but the Echelon emerged as the clear favorite among officers.

This quote from Lieutenant Craig Mancuso of the HPD’s In-Service Training Division was included in the press release: “The Echelon met every one of our design goals. 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.”

HPD noted that the Echelon’s modular grip system and customizable ergonomics contributed to improved performance, particularly among less-experienced shooters, while still delivering strong results for advanced personnel. Notably, for the first time in the department’s history, every officer across both Police and Corrections divisions passed handgun qualification on their first attempt.