Spokane may ban police resale of forfeited guns

SEATTLE (AP) – The Spokane City Council is considering a proposal to stop the police department from selling forfeited firearms.

The council took the action following an Associated Press investigation that found that some guns sold by Washington state law enforcement agencies ended up in new crimes.

Councilwoman Candace Mumm said Thursday that the AP investigation and a review of the proceeds from the gun sales inspired the council to want to end the practice.

Spokane Police spokesman John O’Brien says they’ve sold 311 since 2011. The AP investigation went back to 2010, which included 77 sold guns, bringing Spokane’s total to 388.

The AP found that law enforcement agencies across Washington state sold more than 6,000 firearms that had been used in crimes between 2010 and 2017.

More than a dozen of those weapons later turned up in new criminal investigations.