Reducing the Number of Stolen Firearms

Submitted by the Firearms Committee

FC. 25.t16

Passed: November 2016

WHEREAS, According to a 2012, Department of Justice Report, an average of 232,400 guns per year were stolen during the six year study period in connection with residential burglaries and other property crimes and an estimated 80% had not been recovered; and

WHEREAS, gun thefts are also common in other property crimes involving vehicles and commercial establishments such as "gun shops", common interstate carriers, security service providers, and law enforcement agencies; and

WHEREAS, lost or missing and unaccounted for guns is another matter still, and according to a 2015 ATF Report on lost and stolen firearms - of the more than 19,000 firearms reported as lost or stolen from Federal Firearm Licensees (FFL's) in calendar year 2014, over two thirds of them were reported as lost; and

WHEREAS, stolen and lost firearms are also more likely to be used in the commission of additional and more serious crimes; and

WHEREAS, the armed criminals of today are mobile and evidence of their crimes is easily dispersed across police districts, cities, states and international borders as well; and

WHEREAS, the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is the NCIC is primary system used by law enforcement for the reporting of lost, stolen and recovered firearms; and

WHEREAS, accurate and sufficient descriptive data is required in order to enter a stolen firearm record into NCIC and to check the stolen status of a firearm pursuant to a criminal investigation; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement is aware that many victims of firearms theft are unable to provide the accurate and sufficient descriptive data required in order to create a stolen gun record in NCIC; and

WHEREAS, the failure to create an accurate record of a stolen gun in NCIC can lead to missed opportunities for law enforcement to stop armed criminals and prevent the recovery and return of the stolen property to the rightful owners; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP is committed to raising awareness about the impact that stolen firearms can have on public safety and on gun owners. The IACP believes that number of stolen firearms in circulation can be reduced through a voluntary and collaborative partnership between law enforcement and gun owners including others entrusted with custody and control over firearms. The IACP believes that the points below outline key actions each group of partners can take to reduce the number of stolen firearms in circulation:

• Gun owners and others having custody and control over firearms:

o Take adequate steps to protect their firearms from unauthorized access.

o Prepare and maintain inventories containing accurate and complete descriptions of their firearms.

o Timely and accurately report the complete descriptions of stolen and missing firearms to police.

• Law Enforcement:

o Ensure that all information concerning lost, stolen and recovered firearms is entered timely into NCIC and that it is accurate and complete.

o Make arrests and prosecutions for firearms theft and possession of stolen firearms a priority.

o Return stolen firearms to the rightful owners.