Coatesville PA melts firearms. Legal ?

[PAMedic=F|A=]

http://www.dailylocal.com/general-ne...tal-steel-mill




Guns melted down at ArcelorMittal steel mill

By: Lucas Rodgers lrodgers@dailylocal.com @LucasMRodgers on Twitter

Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015 - 8:13 p.m.


Sgt. Rodger Ollis takes a picture of guns loaded into a truck by the Coatesville Police outside the police station in Coatesville on Tuesday. The guns from the city, along with some from Parkesburg and Baltimore police departments, were melted down at the ArcelorMittal steel mill. (LUCAS RODGERS — Daily Local News)
COATESVILLE >> The Coatesville Police Department transported a truckload of guns to the ArcelorMittal steel mill to be melted down Tuesday morning.

Coatesville Police Chief Jack Laufer said there were about 233 firearms in total to be melted. Of these firearms, about 155 were handguns, such as semi-automatic pistols and revolvers, and about 78 were long guns, like rifles and shotguns, he said.

The load of firearms from CPD included guns old and new, an AK-47, a Glock pistol that presumably had never been fired and a MAC-10 machine pistol with a suppressor. There were also several BB guns and even a couple machetes, a sword and a knife to be melted down along with the firearms.

The Parkesburg Police Department also brought about 20 long guns and about 10 hand guns to be melted. Additionally, the Baltimore Police Department sent a box truck filled with about 1,600 handguns to be melted down at the steel mill. For the sake of convenience, all of the weapons were to be melted down toghether.

Laufer said the weapons from Coatesville were collected over a period of many years in various ways, such as gun buybacks, recovered property, stolen guns, people surrendering guns to the police department, and guns used in crimes.

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He said in the case of stolen guns, an effort is made to contact the original owner to see if the owner wishes to have the gun returned, provided that the owner has cleared a Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) background check, and is determined to be legally allowed to own the gun.

Guns used in crimes cannot be destroyed until after a disposition is rendered, and the case is closed, he said.

Firearms used in homicides always must be kept as evidence for the event that the evidence needs to be presented again if the case is later appealed, said Coatesville Detective Sergeant Brandon Harris.

The main takeaway from melting the guns down is that the public can rest assured that once a firearm comes into the police station, it will never be on the streets again, Laufer said. The police department won't sell it, trade it or reuse it; it will just be destroyed, he added.

The metal from the weapons will be used in steel products manufactured at ArcelorMittal.

Follow Daily Local News staff writer Lucas M Rodgers on Twitter @LucasMRodgers and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lucasmrodgers.

[alpacaheat]

What a waste.

"The load of firearms from CPD included guns old and new, an AK-47, a Glock pistol that presumably had never been fired and a MAC-10 machine pistol with a suppressor. There were also several BB guns and even a couple machetes, a sword and a knife to be melted down along with the firearms."

[HiredGoon]

"The main takeaway from melting the guns down is that the public can rest assured that once a firearm comes into the police station, it will never be on the streets again, Laufer said. The police department won't sell it, trade it or reuse it; it will just be destroyed, he added."

Wow, what a relief!

And of course there's no way the bad guys can ever get their hands on ANY gun ever again

[ett]

gun melting = book burning

[alpacaheat]

gun melting = book burning

Books don't kill people. Bad guys that throw books kill people.



Good analogy. It's the destruction of something that's a right, for the sole reason that some weak people can't handle it, so they don't want anyone else to have it in their home either.

[knight0334]

Who becomes the rightful owner of seized and surrendered guns? If it is the police department, then they have a duty to follow the same rules of liquidation of property as they do for other pieces of property. IE: vehicles and such have to go to public auction in most jurisdictions.

[firebird.77]

Who becomes the rightful owner of seized and surrendered guns? If it is the police department, then they have a duty to follow the same rules of liquidation of property as they do for other pieces of property. IE: vehicles and such have to go to public auction in most jurisdictions.

But...but....guns are dangerous!

[pennlineman]

Who becomes the rightful owner of seized and surrendered guns? If it is the police department, then they have a duty to follow the same rules of liquidation of property as they do for other pieces of property. IE: vehicles and such have to go to public auction in most jurisdictions.

It's a political statement, certainly nothing to do with safety. In the service stuff like this would be categorized as fraud, waste and abuse.

[JenniferG]

Imagine that, you have to be approved by the government to have your property returned to you. I'm sick of this crap where people think it's OK for the government to approve you for anything especially owning a firearm. It does nothing but make people who want to exercise their rights without being questioned be questioned. It's total bullshit!

[jw34]

Imagine that, you have to be approved by the government to have your property returned to you. I'm sick of this crap where people think it's OK for the government to approve you for anything especially owning a firearm. It does nothing but make people who want to exercise their rights without being questioned be questioned. It's total bullshit!

Unfortunately, it's not our rule. PD's didn't enact it, it's a requirement from higher up the food chain. I think it came down from the ATF or PSP a few years back. Before the Police Dept can return any firearm to the owner, a brief PICS check is required to clear the Police Dept of any liability. Example.... Gun was reported stolen 6 years earlier, since then, owner commits a crime and becomes prohibited, cops find gun and cops return gun, owner uses it to commit another crime.... Police dept sued for millions of tax payer money paid to the victim's family.
And knowing how our rules come to be, I wouldn't be surprised if the above example actually occurred and was the reason for requiring a PICS check.