In Seymour and communities across Indiana, Hoosiers rely on our public safety officers to keep the peace and protect and serve.
To do their jobs and be well prepared for the tasks at hand, public safety officers need the right equipment. This session, I'm authoring legislation that would give law enforcement more ways to get new, life-saving equipment.
Currently, law enforcement agencies can dispose of confiscated firearms by selling them to federally licensed firearms dealers, manufacturers and other law enforcement departments for new equipment. The costs of constantly purchasing gear can quickly begin to add up. Ballistic vests alone cost hundreds of dollars, so outfitting a whole agency can cost thousands of dollars, before counting in medical gear, non-lethal tools, new firearms and ammunition. Our officers need to be well-equipped, and my new law would give them a tool to get what they need without money having to change hands, saving taxpayer dollars.
With my legislation, public safety agencies could trade confiscated firearms with licensed dealers, manufacturers, or other law enforcement entities in exchange for items like ballistic vests and defibrillators. This could help local departments save both time and money, allowing officers to make a trade without having to spend dollars.
Additionally, law enforcement agencies would have to keep a record of any trades they make, including what firearm was traded, who it was with and what equipment the agency received. This is another great step in keeping our departments transparent, letting the public know how these confiscated firearms are being used.
My bill would simply provide law enforcement agencies with another option. They could continue to dispose of the firearm in another manner, which currently includes releasing firearms to a forensic lab for training purposes, sale or transfer to a separate agency, or destruction.
This bill, which passed out of the House last session, does not seek to tell our public safety officials how to handle confiscated firearms, but rather give them an extra tool in their tool belt to obtain the needed resources.
As a member of the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee, I'm committed to continuing to look for more ways to help our law enforcement, whether through vetting legislation or bringing forward my own. To learn more about legislation, and watch session and committee meetings, visit iga.in.gov.
-30-
State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) represents House District 69,
which includes portions of Bartholomew, Jackson, Scott and Washington counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
