NCJ Number
193278
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 69 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2002 Pages: 81-83
Date Published
2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article reviews a meeting of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) on current law enforcement policies and practices regarding seizure, storage, return, and destruction of firearms in situations involving domestic disputes.
Abstract
The IACP convened a focus group of professionals from around the country to examine the issues involved in the forfeiture and seizure of firearms under State and Federal laws. The moderator of the group asked the panelists questions about efforts to enhance victim and officer safety, how the surrender of a firearms can be enhanced in the process of issuing orders of protection, and the challenges law enforcement face in third-party transfers of firearms. Various enforcement roles were discussed by the panelists regarding Federal firearm laws and shared strategies. The panel concluded with a dialogue about successful models of collaboration between local and Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials. In addition, the focus group assisted in the development of a survey on the surrender and seizure of firearms in situations of domestic violence. The participants identified the following areas: forfeiture authority, strategies and methods of seizure, storage, return and destruction of firearms, liability, victim, and officers safety and resources collaboration. At the conclusion of the meeting of the focus group, the planning committee met to review the survey questions developed by the group. A survey was then completed and mailed to the metropolitan region of the District of Columbia in order to field-test it. To enhance distribution the survey has been posted on the IACP’s web site (www.theiacp.org). Continued collaboration with the planning committee to review the survey results and organize the information gathered will be undertaken.