Colorado Springs to sell confiscated guns.

[rugermanx]

Here's one I found on Drudge.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gun-sales23-2009aug23,0,4831409.story

Funny how they are saying "I remember what some of those weapons were used for," Martin said. "Just the idea of putting those weapons back on the street is unconscionable."


and my favorite line about "I certainly was not willing to turn those over to the public," Knight said"

Now Sir, if the guns are that dangerous aren't they just as dangerous in the hands of a cop as the citizens? Since the guns are what is doing the crime. and since the guns are so dangerous how do the cops control them?

What's next start letting the criminals walk and trying the gun? It would help cheapen up our prison system since we would only need about 1/10th of the space for jails.

[JimP]

"Men and women in uniform mingle easily with civilians in the shopping centers and strollable downtown"......

..... as if folks in uniform DON'T mix easily with civilians in other places?  Well, maybe not  San Fran, or LA, which shows you the bias inherent in this article.

THAT said, I noticed ANOTHER BIAS:  the one where the LEO sez he isn't "selling to any civilian on the  street" ......  that right there tells me he thinks he's an OnlyOne......


I am NOT in favor of Law Enforcement Agencies selling seized propertyof any kind, to fund their own budgets: IT GIVES THEM AN INCENTIVE TO SEIZE MORE PROPERTY.

[Dan W]

I am NOT in favor of Law Enforcement Agencies selling seized propertyof any kind, to fund their own budgets: IT GIVES THEM AN INCENTIVE TO SEIZE MORE PROPERTY.

Exactly right

[rugermanx]

And I hadn't even given that a thought.........................

[WallPhone]

Still, a gun in the hands of a citizen is better than a gun locked in a storage facility or melted down for scrap. Seized land, cars, computers, etc. is resold, why not guns? My only objection is that dealers get first pickings. I think the general public should stand on  equal ground.

I personally think this should be suggested to the legislators. Budget solution?

[FarmerRick]

Taken from pages 7 to 8 of LB430:

(4) Whenever a firearm is confiscated and held pursuant to this

-7-
LB 430 LB 430

section or section 28-1204.02, the peace officer who received such firearm
shall cause to be filed within ten days after the confiscation a petition
for destruction of such firearm. The petition shall be filed in the district
court of the county in which the confiscation is made. The petition shall
describe the firearm held, state the name of the owner, if known, allege
the essential elements of the violation which caused the confiscation, and
conclude with a prayer for disposition and destruction in such manner as
the court may direct. At any time after the confiscation of the firearm and
prior to court disposition, the owner of the firearm seized may petition the
district court of the county in which the confiscation was made for possession
of the firearm. The court shall release the firearm to such owner only if
the claim of ownership can reasonably be shown to be true and either (a) the
owner of the firearm can show that the firearm was taken from his or her
property or place of business unlawfully or without the knowledge and consent
of the owner and that such property or place of business is different from
that of the person from whom the firearm was confiscated or (b) the owner of
the firearm is acquitted of the charge of unlawful possession of a revolver
in violation of section 28-1204, unlawful transfer of a firearm to a juvenile,
or unlawful possession of a firearm on at a school. grounds. No firearm
having significant antique value or historical significance as determined by
the Nebraska State Historical Society shall be destroyed. If a firearm has
significant antique value or historical significance, it shall be sold at
auction and the proceeds deposited in the permanent school fund. shall be
remitted to the State Treasurer for distribution in accordance with Article
VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska.

I think all others are destroyed. 

[DanClrk51]

I am in favor of LE selling confiscated guns to the public. They need to stop destroying perfectly fine guns, its a waste of resources. If they don't want to sell them.....fine, they should develop a program that allows disadvanted people and women (abused, widowed, in need of protection) to get a gun from the police for free or for a fraction of the price for personal protection.

OR if they absolutely don't want to give the weapons back to the public then they should use these resources for their own department aka. training guns, shooting range/practice guns instead of using our tax dollars to buy new stuff all the time. Of course these guns should go through a process of examination by the police dept gun smith/armorer to make sure there are no defects or excessive wear that could possibly make the firearm dangerous. This should also be applied to any long guns seized, especially "assault weapons" such as AR 15 style rifles which many departments are starting to purchase for police use. Firearms seized from drug raids especially should be kept and not destroyed because most of them are probably brand new and hardly fired since these drug kings have so much money.

[AAllen]

A year ago I was one of the few people trying to get the city of Omaha not to pass an ordinance that said all confiscated guns would be destroyed; unfortunately that is water under the bridge now.