DC Police Sell Guns to Criminals

Published on April 6, 2024
Duration: 8:08

The DC Metro Police Department acted as the sole legal gun dealer in Washington D.C. for seven months between April 2020 and January 2021. During this period, a concerning number of crime guns were traced back to the department, prompting an ATF investigation. The average 'time to crime' for these firearms was significantly shorter than the national average.

Quick Summary

The DC Metro Police Department is under ATF investigation after acting as the sole legal gun dealer in Washington D.C. for seven months. During this period, a concerning number of crime guns were traced back to the department, with an average 'time to crime' of 20 months or less, significantly shorter than the national average of 10 years.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Police Selling Guns to Criminals
  2. 00:24Context: Anti-Gun Groups and Gun Stores
  3. 00:54DC Police as Sole Legal Gun Dealer
  4. 01:06The Seven-Month Period of Operation
  5. 01:21ATF Investigation into DC Police
  6. 01:34Sponsor Segment: Attorneys on Retainer
  7. 02:40ATF Scrutiny Program Threshold
  8. 03:23Discovery by the Brady Campaign
  9. 04:08Short Time to Crime for DC Police Guns
  10. 04:27DC Police Cease FFL Operations
  11. 04:54Concerns from Other FFL Dealers
  12. 05:33Volume of Handguns Sold
  13. 06:07Comparing 7 Months vs. Years of Sales
  14. 06:20Origin of DC Police's FFL Role
  15. 06:46Revenue from Firearm Transfers
  16. 07:08Irony of ATF Scrutiny
  17. 07:17Concluding Thoughts and Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the DC Police Department under ATF investigation regarding gun sales?

The ATF is investigating the DC police after a concerning number of crime guns were traced back to them. This occurred when the department acted as the sole legal gun dealer in D.C. for seven months, during which firearms sold by them were recovered at crime scenes at an unusually high rate.

What is the ATF's threshold for placing a dealer under extra scrutiny for crime guns?

The ATF's threshold for placing a firearms dealer under extra scrutiny is when 25 or more guns are traced back to them within a single year. This program is designed to identify dealers with a higher-than-average incidence of their sold firearms appearing in criminal activity.

How does the 'time to crime' for guns sold by DC police compare to the national average?

Guns sold by the DC police had a significantly shorter 'time to crime,' averaging 20 months or less. This is considerably faster than the national average, which the ATF states is approximately 10 years for legally purchased firearms to be found at a crime scene.

How did the DC police become the sole legal gun dealer in Washington D.C.?

In 2012, the DC Council passed a law allowing the city to seek a license to sell guns. When the only private licensed dealer closed shop during the COVID-19 pandemic, the police department was legally obligated to step in and operate as the sole FFL.

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