Posted 12:59 am Sunday, February 05, 2012
Smith County Commissioners Approve Firearm Auction
By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer
A pearl handled .45-caliber pistol and a solid black hunting rifle are among firearms that will soon see the auction block as the county sells, rather than destroys, some stockpiled weapons.
Earlier this week, the Smith County Commissioners Court approved placing firearms taken in seizures, and held as criminal evidence up for sale to licensed firearm dealers to raise revenues.
Commissioner Terry Phillips said the sale would raise money, rather than cost taxpayers to dispose of rifles, shotguns and pistols held by the county.
Potential buyers would purchase the firearms in bulk in a sealed-bid auction for licensed gun dealers only.
Staff Writer
A pearl handled .45-caliber pistol and a solid black hunting rifle are among firearms that will soon see the auction block as the county sells, rather than destroys, some stockpiled weapons.
Earlier this week, the Smith County Commissioners Court approved placing firearms taken in seizures, and held as criminal evidence up for sale to licensed firearm dealers to raise revenues.
Commissioner Terry Phillips said the sale would raise money, rather than cost taxpayers to dispose of rifles, shotguns and pistols held by the county.
Potential buyers would purchase the firearms in bulk in a sealed-bid auction for licensed gun dealers only.
Firearms come into the county’s possession as stolen property, evidence in crimes and during seizures.
In the past, after weapons are cleared or not claimed, the county pays to have the firearms destroyed.
Smith County Chief Deputy Bobby Garmon said 19 firearms initially would be offered. Most of the firearms were taken from people, such as felons, carrying them unlawfully or were “found” property. None of the weapons were involved in homicides, he said.
“In a lot of cases we know the guns are stolen but the owner can’t identify them because they don’t have the serial numbers or some kind of distinct identifier,” Garmon said.
Garmon said a majority of the “hundreds” of firearms in county possession will be destroyed.
Firearms without serial numbers or that have been illegally modified, such as sawed-off shotguns, or those stained with biological matter, such as blood, will be destroyed by Tyler Pipe, he said.
Tyler Pipe melts firearms free for the county, Garmon said. Before Tyler Pipe offered its services, the county paid $2.05 per pound to have guns destroyed, he said.
Phillips said the sale of stockpiled firearms does not raise concerns. Once the guns are in the hands of licensed dealers, the county’s responsibility ends, he said.
“Once a dealer buys them the liability is not on us,” he said. “This is just a way to raise money rather than spend it.”
Garmon said each weapon is cleared before it is destroyed or sold. Guns’ histories are traced and their serial numbers and other identifiers are put into a national database and checked to make sure they were not involved in a major crime, he said.
Guns come from law enforcement agencies across the county including the Tyler Police Department and constable offices. Some of the weapons date back to cases in the 1960s, Garmon said.
Once a weapon is cleared it is deemed the county’s property and a court order determines each weapon’s fate. Some firearms, such as shotguns and assault rifles, are given to the sheriff’s department for use by deputies, Garmon said.
Harris County Deputy Thomas Gilliland said all weapons seized are destroyed by a smelting company. Harris County Sheriff’s Department, which has a jurisdiction that includes the greater Houston area, is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. Gilliland said the volume of weapons stockpiled is staggering and that the county has never considered putting weapons back into circulation. Weapons are cleared before they are destroyed, he said.
Benjamin Berry, a licensed firearm dealer in Tyler, said he would be interested in the sale. He said potential buyers with access to information such as the make and model, its grade, or aesthetic and mechanical condition, and access to photos could find guns for resale. Having them screened by the sheriff’s department would give resellers “more of a leg to stand on,” if questions surrounding the guns are raised in the future.
Typically the county lists auction items, with condition descriptions and photos online through the county Purchasing Department. No auction date has been set.
In the past, after weapons are cleared or not claimed, the county pays to have the firearms destroyed.
Smith County Chief Deputy Bobby Garmon said 19 firearms initially would be offered. Most of the firearms were taken from people, such as felons, carrying them unlawfully or were “found” property. None of the weapons were involved in homicides, he said.
“In a lot of cases we know the guns are stolen but the owner can’t identify them because they don’t have the serial numbers or some kind of distinct identifier,” Garmon said.
Garmon said a majority of the “hundreds” of firearms in county possession will be destroyed.
Firearms without serial numbers or that have been illegally modified, such as sawed-off shotguns, or those stained with biological matter, such as blood, will be destroyed by Tyler Pipe, he said.
Tyler Pipe melts firearms free for the county, Garmon said. Before Tyler Pipe offered its services, the county paid $2.05 per pound to have guns destroyed, he said.
Phillips said the sale of stockpiled firearms does not raise concerns. Once the guns are in the hands of licensed dealers, the county’s responsibility ends, he said.
“Once a dealer buys them the liability is not on us,” he said. “This is just a way to raise money rather than spend it.”
Garmon said each weapon is cleared before it is destroyed or sold. Guns’ histories are traced and their serial numbers and other identifiers are put into a national database and checked to make sure they were not involved in a major crime, he said.
Guns come from law enforcement agencies across the county including the Tyler Police Department and constable offices. Some of the weapons date back to cases in the 1960s, Garmon said.
Once a weapon is cleared it is deemed the county’s property and a court order determines each weapon’s fate. Some firearms, such as shotguns and assault rifles, are given to the sheriff’s department for use by deputies, Garmon said.
Harris County Deputy Thomas Gilliland said all weapons seized are destroyed by a smelting company. Harris County Sheriff’s Department, which has a jurisdiction that includes the greater Houston area, is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. Gilliland said the volume of weapons stockpiled is staggering and that the county has never considered putting weapons back into circulation. Weapons are cleared before they are destroyed, he said.
Benjamin Berry, a licensed firearm dealer in Tyler, said he would be interested in the sale. He said potential buyers with access to information such as the make and model, its grade, or aesthetic and mechanical condition, and access to photos could find guns for resale. Having them screened by the sheriff’s department would give resellers “more of a leg to stand on,” if questions surrounding the guns are raised in the future.
Typically the county lists auction items, with condition descriptions and photos online through the county Purchasing Department. No auction date has been set.
