Police departments across the metro area are in need of ammunition.

"We are facing a shortage with the .223 ammunition as far as getting it for training," said Heather Wood, spokesperson for the Westminster Police Department. "We have it, it just takese a little bit longer to come and we use it for officers to practice at the range every year."

Distributors said the Iraq war is taking more and more of the American ammunition. They said the government saturated the market with orders and those are filled first, leaving little ammunition if none at all for officers or recreational shooters.

"Even when we can find it, [they] don't have enough to purchase as much as I would like to," said Brad Lightner, General Manager at the Firing Line, a shooting range in Aurora.

Lightner said once he finds the ammunition he needs the prices have jumped tremendously.

"The prices have gone up 25-30 percent, yeah the price is a shock," said Lightner.

The Westminster Police Department said they just placed an order for 40,000 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition. They said that will last them two years.

"Because it is taking longer to get we are going ahead and ordering it now two years in advance so we have it on hand," said Wood.

Wood said there is no reason for concern for public safety.

"We have enough to use in our patrol duties, it is just the training ammo that is taking longer to get," said Wood.