LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — In Kentucky, guns, cars and property seized in drug crimes are auctioned off by the state, and the numbers are staggering. Last year police and sheriff departments across Kentucky seized thousands of guns, bringing in several million for the state.
In two weeks on Feb. 13, 1,205 firearms will be auctioned by the state. Brian Butler, a partner at Stites and Harbison Law Firm in Louisville, said the cash earned from these auctions helps drive police departments.
"A big part of law enforcement budgets, in my estimation, funding comes from the sale of forfeiture, and it has for years," Butler said.
Kentucky State Police handle the auctions of all guns seized by local police departments.
A sampling of the guns to be auctioned is posted on the KSP website. According to records obtained by WDRB from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, local police and sheriff departments seized a total of 6,555 firearms from suspected drug crimes last year.
“I think it is intended to be a detriment, but also it could be a punishment if law enforcement can tie whatever property to the alleged crime,” Butler said.
Among local police departments, Louisville Metro Police Department takes the lead with 2,862 reported seizures last year.
“But I have seen over the years the courts taking a stronger look at asset forfeiture; for example, if there is a very small drug crime and there are substantial assets seized for such a small crime, we have really seen some scaling back on what law enforcement can do, which I think is trying to make this a more fair process, meaning if you commit a small drug crime you shouldn't necessarily lose all kinds of property that is of much greater value than the small drug crime," Butler said.
The proceeds from the auction are returned to the department who made the arrest. Once the legal case is settled in the courts, the guns are sent to KSP for auction.
It can take months or years before seized firearms are posted online. According to KSP's website, the auctions are not available to the public -- only federally licensed firearm dealers can register. The ballistics information and serial numbers have been reported to the ATF prior to auction.
After last year's deadly bank shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville, some Kentucky lawmakers pushed for a bill to destroy guns used in violent crimes instead of re-selling them, but that bill failed to advance.
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