imported post
insane.kangaroo wrote:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/04/29/met_522115.shtml
Finally someone intelligent who works a PD. Agencies should recuperate costs by selling confiscated weapons instead of destroying them at the end of the time period.
This may actually backfire on "legal" gun owners, by encouraging agencies to confiscate more firearms, to bring in the money for the department. If a quota system is developed, depending on the ethical nature of the department/officer, they may have an incentive to find any excuse to confiscate your firearm.
The same issue exists with other property seizures (cars, money, etc), allegedly involved in drug crimes. You may be arrested, released, and not be convicted of any crime, but any property seized does not have rights. Police departments have enjoyed not being a burden to taxpayers for many years, but there is likely much abuse going on.
This promotes corruption, and is a BAD idea. You guys really need to fight this off, or implement a change in confiscation laws to be very restrictive in how, what and when a firearm can be confiscated. Such a law will need to be, by design, written to discourage abuse.