HAMPTON — From Jan. 1 to July 31, there were 180 firearms seized, recovered from crime scenes or turned in to the Hampton Police Division, said Cpl. Ashley Jenrette, Hampton police spokeswoman.
But what happens to a firearm after that initial report is written and the gun is tagged?
All firearms seized by the department are tagged into property evidence units. The firearms are then traced through the system to see if an owner is registered, Jenrette said.
Jenrette said a firearm may be released in accordance with law unless it is evidence in an ongoing case.
If the firearm is determined to have an owner and its not part of that ongoing case then the owner has to respond to the Hampton Police Division’s Property and Evidence Unit with proof of ownership and a photo ID, Jenrette said.
Before police release the firearm, the owner’s information is checked to ensure they are able to legally possess a firearm.
If the gun is unable to be traced to an owner and not part of an ongoing case it is marked for destruction.
The Hampton Police Division uses an outside company to destroy firearms after the required court order has been received, Jenrette said.
She said the firearms are taken through a process in which they are crushed so they are not restorable to firing condition, reducing the firearms to scrap.
Three officers are required to be present during this process to witness the firearm destruction.
The company also takes care of disposal.
The Hampton Police Division does not participate in gun buy-back programs nor do they sell or auction off seized weapons and property with no traceable owner, Jenrette said.
Information on the number of guns seized in 2016 before the implementation of the Gun Crimes Task Force was not immediately available.
