I commend the Oak Park Police Department for their sound, ethical policy for gun disposal. The recent New York Times article, “The Guns Were Said to Be Destroyed. Instead, They Were Reborn,” tells the story of an industry that destroys one part of a gun, then sells the rest of the gun parts in a kit that can easily be reconstituted into a firearm. Many police departments have used these services. They have sent confiscated and surrendered guns to be destroyed, only to provide an easy way to proliferate more guns. As the kits may be purchased without a background check, those who would not pass a background test may make the purchase, creating more risk for violence in our communities.
A group of us met with the Oak Park police last spring to encourage an Oak Park gun buyback. Deputy Chief Jacobson, Sergeant Monty and Officer Dennis raised concerns about gun disposal. They shared that the department did not have a good vendor to receive guns for destruction. Avoiding vendors that resold parts from destroyed guns was important to the department’s ethical standards. Contributing to an expanding gun market with parts from destroyed guns was untenable.
Thank you, Oak Park Police Department, for your sound judgment and policy for gun disposal. You are committed to effective gun disposal that doesn’t fuel the gun market. And your community thanks you.
Lois Thiessen Love
Oak Park
Source: Mike McIntire, “The Guns Were Said to Be Destroyed. Instead, They Were Reborn.” New York Times, Dec. 19.
