Arizona Edition - Across the nation, law enforcement agencies are sitting on large caches of confiscated guns. The weapons might have been tagged as evidence in a criminal case or collected as part of a warrant, or they simply might be illegal under federal or state law. Many law enforcement agencies hold gun buybacks, where they trade a gift card or money for guns people no longer want. No matter where the guns come from, law enforcement agencies are tasked with storing and eventually disposing of them, either through destruction, sale or trade. Some states simply melt them down.
As of last year, an Arizona law prevents guns collected by state law enforcement agencies from being destroyed. In National Rifle Association-backed legislation, the guns must now be sold to federally licensed dealers. Supporters of the law say the guns sales are a way to recover public money, while opponents say it sends the wrong message when the focus should be on fewer guns on the street.
We thought we’d find out how local law enforcement handles their cache of guns. KAWC’s Kim Johnson has the story…(originally aired 05/07/14).
This piece was featured in the May 7th Arizona Edition. Other pieces featured in the show can be found below in the related content section.
