A national ammunition shortage due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is being felt among Casper area law enforcement agencies.

The shortage has driven up the cost of ammunition - almost doubling it in some cases - and meant less ammo is available for training, according to local officials.

"We definitely have felt it," said Casper Police Chief Tom Pagel. "There is less ammunition out there and the costs are higher here."

Casper law enforcement agencies have enough ammunition to properly arm officers and deputies in the field. Training is another matter.

"I would say it is not at a critical stage, but it is noticeable," Pagel said.

Facing the shortage, Casper police have begun using a training system that allows officers to simulate firing a weapon without using actual rounds.

Among the ammunition in short supply are .223-caliber rifle rounds and 9-mm bullets. Both are commonly used by the military and law enforcement. Police use the .223-caliber rounds in rifles carried in many patrol cars, while 9-mm rounds are used in officers' pistols.

"With the war going on, manufacturing priority is for the military," Pagel said. "The ammunition of law enforcement and the public is secondary."

The Natrona County Sheriff's Office is experiencing similar problems due to the shortage, said Undersheriff Dave Kinghorn.

"We can find the duty ammo, but it is the practice ammo that is eating our lunch," he said.

In some cases, ammunition costs have almost doubled in the past two years, Kinghorn said. Suppliers attribute the ammo shortage to the war in Iraq, he added.

"It is difficult to find, and when we do find it, it is expensive," he said.

Reach Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@casperstartribune.net.