Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Colorado Springs police may sell seized firearms
Los Angeles Times ^ | August 23, 2009 | By Nicholas Riccardi

Posted on 08/24/2009 4:55:59 AM PDT by Texas Fossil

The City Council is considering a program to let the Police Department sell confiscated guns to licensed dealers. Sales could net $10,000 a year.

Reporting from Colorado Springs, Colo. - This conservative city is taking an unusual, some might say extreme, step to try to stem its fiscal woes: It's entering the gun business.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; coloradosprings; firearms; police; seized; sell
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last
To: Fred Hayek

Unfortunately the State of Colorado is quite unlike the City of Colorado Springs. And unlike fly-over country all over the State. I love the Western Slope away from Touristaville. Euray, Montrose, Carbondale, Montavista and others.

I love Colorado, and the people in Colorado. Except those who dislike Texans. Could tell you stories about that, but not here.

I do not like the way State Government is run in Colorado. Too many entrenched Tree Huger Types. As a consequence I could never live there.


21 posted on 08/24/2009 6:56:09 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (The last time I looked, this is still Texas where I live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil

This should be a no-brainer.


22 posted on 08/24/2009 6:57:47 AM PDT by Tribune7 (I am Jim Thompson!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Terabitten

The article mentions that they have no intentions of selling to the public. Only to dealers.

I will bet your “agency” is far different now than what it was then.


23 posted on 08/24/2009 6:59:04 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (The last time I looked, this is still Texas where I live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil
I just spent the weekend there on business. It's an understatement to say it's a great town with very nice people. A big military presence. My hotel was crawling with Chair Force types in town for a seminar or something.

Anyplace that smells like a pine forest is all right by me.

I mountain biked at 12,600 ft; I can now die happy.

24 posted on 08/24/2009 7:03:23 AM PDT by I Buried My Guns
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Terabitten
It's virtually impossible (not to mention horrendously stupid) to seize a gun specifically to sell it.

Yes, and so what? Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I was not referring to police seizing specific guns (and I don't know how you came up with this since I didn't say it.) My concern that was the police would increase their overall seizure activity as another form of fund raising to go along with the asset seizure of the so-called "war on drugs" Kind of like having a ticket quota, they would have a guns seizure quota looking for flimsey excuses to steal peoples' property under the color of law - you know like they do with cash now.

25 posted on 08/24/2009 7:05:51 AM PDT by from occupied ga (Your most dangerous enemy is your own government,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: I Buried My Guns

The thing I noticed about the law enforcement of that town: In downtown is a block-long area with all the cool bars where the young people go. At the end of the block is a DUI checkpoint, with a police motorhome for giving blood samples. Very convenient.


26 posted on 08/24/2009 7:12:37 AM PDT by I Buried My Guns
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: I Buried My Guns

“I Buried My Guns”

Not me, and some of mine are loaded.

The military officer retirement community in Colorado Springs helps make it a wonderful place. It has been a long time since I was there, but it is a beautiful place.

There was a great little German restaurant and bakery there called the “Mother Rhine”. Enjoyed some really great food there.

For the past 30+ years I have baked bread for my friends and family. Places like the “Mother Rhine” really interest me.


27 posted on 08/24/2009 7:13:55 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (The last time I looked, this is still Texas where I live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil
The article mentions that they have no intentions of selling to the public. Only to dealers.

Right. The dealers then typically re-sell to the public.

I will bet your “agency” is far different now than what it was then.

Yes, I'm sure Customs & Border Protection, the largest law enforcement agency in the nation, is much different than it was when I left it three weeks ago. :)

28 posted on 08/24/2009 7:30:57 AM PDT by Terabitten (Vets wrote a blank check, payable to the Constitution, for an amount up to and including their life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: from occupied ga
My concern that was the police would increase their overall seizure activity as another form of fund raising to go along with the asset seizure of the so-called "war on drugs"

Sorry for the misunderstanding, however, my general point still stands. I don't think there's much incentive for the individual officer to seize a gun (or fifty, for that matter) that wouldn't have been seized anyway, when he/she will likely never see any actual return from the seizure other than in the most general sense possible.

They're already seizing these guns. The question is, what do they do with them after the case is adjudicated? They can't keep them forever -- they have to do something with them. Typically the options are either to destroy it or sell it, or in very rare cases, donate it to a museum or something like that.

Since my old agency stopped doing sales, I've destroyed literally THOUSANDS of Beretta 96s and Glock 17s, hundreds of Ruger 10-22s, and Lord only knows how many AK variants. It was a shame, but we weren't allowed to do anything else with them.

Of course, we also destroyed oodles of crappy little Jennings/Lorcin/Cobra/Brycos, Hi-Points, and tons of guns that had been 'home gunsmithed' in ways you don't even want to think about LOL.

29 posted on 08/24/2009 7:39:42 AM PDT by Terabitten (Vets wrote a blank check, payable to the Constitution, for an amount up to and including their life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil

I went to a police auction in Oklahoma years ago. the goods were seized or confiscated and unclaimed property, mostly household goods, and a table of guns. Most of them were junk, a few good ones were also in the pile.

Every thing went cheap. Around noon, there went through the crowd something like an electrical charge. They became extremely animated and surged toward the gun table! They were now selling the guns!

The auctioneer had quite a time witht he crowd! Many people were bidding way up all the guns. I could not believe it as even the junk guns were selling for new prices.

I have been to several farm auctions where guns were sold. They were always bid way up, and most went for way more than they were worth.

Back in the days before the 1968 gun control act guns went for a very low bids at auctions. The constant fear of government controls since 1968 has changed all that.


30 posted on 08/24/2009 7:45:23 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Tar and feather the sons of bi#ches! Ride them out of town on a rail!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil; MortMan
I think MortMan’s concern is being accused of a crime committed with a weapon before you actually owned it.

I could see the anticonstitutional eneMedia blaring “Murder Weapon Found in Home of Texas Fossil!” Even though the crime was committed years years ago.

Here's another issue; it's different but interesting. A Freeper posted that he was picked up by the police because they traced a gun he owned to a murder. He had reported it stolen. Fortunately, he made bail and found the report. We have to be on guard against a hostile press and incompetent police.

31 posted on 08/24/2009 8:00:07 AM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Grizzled Bear
We have to be on guard against a hostile press and incompetent police.

Yes, that is true. And now we have another dimension approaching us, "corrupt" Federal Police. This is in the near future if we do not stop this Federal Power Grab now. Now, not later, it must stop Now.

32 posted on 08/24/2009 8:13:54 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (The last time I looked, this is still Texas where I live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

I was very surprised to learn from my brother in Georgia that a large caliber pistol which had been stolen by his own son - a druggie who burgled bro’s store - was recovered during another crime way up in Chicago......and returned to him.


33 posted on 08/24/2009 8:18:34 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (Impeach now....not next month... now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

Get a bill of sale. Any crimes committed using the gun before the date on the bill obviously have nothing to do with you. Plus the dealer from whom you purchased it should have documentation showing that he bought it from the local LEO’s. So not only did it not belong to you during those crimes, but it’s been police property in between.


34 posted on 08/24/2009 9:41:18 AM PDT by Still Thinking (If ignorance is bliss, liberals must be ecstatic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: from occupied ga
I see a lot of people saying this is a good thing, but this does give the police a further incentive to steal peoples' property and make a profit from selling it.

Excellent point. I would want there to be safeguards in place to make sure that due process was actually being followed. (unlike what is done thee days in the case of most forfieture related to the "wod").  For instance, the person would actually have to have been convicted of a crime that was directly related to the firearm in question.

35 posted on 08/24/2009 10:07:31 AM PDT by zeugma (Will it be nukes or aliens? Time will tell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DYngbld
Drug raids come to mind.

I see. As long as drug possession is alleged, it's o.k. to steal people's property. Cool.

36 posted on 08/24/2009 10:11:17 AM PDT by zeugma (Will it be nukes or aliens? Time will tell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil

Should any crimes be committed with the guns sold by the city, may we then sue to put them out of business? Please?


37 posted on 08/24/2009 10:44:07 AM PDT by DPMD (~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zeugma
Drug raids come to mind.

I see. As long as drug possession is alleged, it's o.k. to steal people's property. Cool.

Oh no I am not saying it is alright. It is just the law in some states.

38 posted on 08/24/2009 10:57:59 AM PDT by DYngbld (I have read the back of the Book and we WIN!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil
You wrote: " Sell them to reduce the budget shortfall. Sound very reasonable to me. "<

In view of the following, that doesn't sound reasonable to me!

Amendment 5

- Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation


39 posted on 08/24/2009 2:27:05 PM PDT by An Old Man (Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

i wouldn’t buy one of those....with the way the Police arrest people with their computers, its a disaster waiting to happen!


40 posted on 08/24/2009 2:29:26 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (Pray for Israel! And Georgia ! And the Iranian people! and Honduras!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson