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Atlanta police chief calls on public to lock up their guns
With gun violence spiking, authorities are sounding the alarm for gun owners to protect their weapons, especially if it is kept in a vehicle. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum says firearms stolen from vehicles are often swapped for drugs. One Atlanta City councilman calls the development dangerous, potentially putting officers in jeopardy.
ATLANTA - Atlanta’s top cop said stolen firearms are being traded for illegal drugs on city streets. Atlanta Police Interim Chief Darin Schierbaum, speaking to the Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety committee meeting on Monday, said to get those weapons, crooks are breaking into people’s cars.
With gun violence spiking, some may want to carry a firearm to ensure protection, but Chief Schierbaum said that is also making gun owners the target of car break-ins. The chief is renewing his calls for gun owners to secure their weapons safely.
The chief said during recent raids on suspected drug safe houses, narcotics officers have been finding stashes of stolen guns. He addressed how deep the drugs for guns trade goes in the city.
"It’s not uncommon to find stolen guns from car break-ins at those locations, which means it was probably used, Council member Bond, as currency to exchange for drugs," Chief Schierbaum said at the meeting.
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"The common, you know, low-level thief could be transferring your weapon into the hands of a dangerous gang member," Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond told FOX 5. ‘That could potentially be used against our police when they, in turn, raid these drug houses.
The interim chief offered his solution to responsible gun owners.
"Do as we require our officers to do, and have a secure box that you can place that weapon into, can be accessible if you need it, but it cannot fall into the wrong hands," the chief told the council.
Bond knows the chief is frustrated, but he thinks more can be done to market the gun lock box idea.
"And much the same way as we do gun buybacks, if we could get the cooperation of the Atlanta Police Foundation, perhaps we could buy gun lock boxes, just give them out so we can stop people from using these weapons to either trade them for drugs or worse," Bond said.