http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_3288810
Fee infuriates gun owners
New county charge covers seizure, storage costs
By Ben Baeder Staff Writer
To the dismay of gun owners, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is now charging $54 to return firearms seized during arrests or searches - even if the gun was legally owned and not used in a crime.
The Los Angeles County Supervisors recently approved the fee, which they say would help recover $27,000 the county spends each year storing guns.
People recovering stolen firearms would not have to pay, according to county officials.
Sam Paredes, executive director of the Gun Owners of California, said Los Angeles County was "taking full advantage of state law in order to screw the public."
Paredes was referring to Assembly Bill 2431, passed in September 2004.
The law requires police to catalog guns and store them at least a year before the agency is allowed to destroy them. It also allows agencies to charge a storage fee.
Paredes said no other city or county in California was charging the storage fee.
In a report to the county Supervisors, Sheriff's officials say it costs them about $54 to do background checks and to store and process guns.
"It's the same thing as impounding a vehicle," said Lt. Dan Cruz.
About 500 guns would be returned per year, according to the report. It was not known how many guns had been collected since the fee was enacted Nov. 22.
At an area Sheriff's storage facility - deputies asked its location be kept secret - police store thousands of guns, each of which must be carefully catalogued and labeled. Many are never claimed.
In addition to the storage fee, the gun's owner must pay the
U.S. Department of Justice another $20 for a background check, according to the text of AB 2431. Each gun after the first gun is $3.
Officers at the Covina and Baldwin Park police departments said those cities do not charge a fee to return guns, although Baldwin Park is considering a fee.
Members of a legal office specializing in firearms law called the fee an "illegal tax."
"They have to handle evidence all the time. It's part of their job. If they take your clothes (during an investigation), they don't charge you to get your clothes back?" said John Mustafa, a legislative analyst for Trutanich-Michell, LLP in Long Beach, which has handled cases for the National Rifle Association.
The firm is considering sending a letter to the sheriff's office asking to suspend the fee, he said.
Gun owners practicing at the Triple B Clays Shotgun Sports Park at the Whittier Narrows were livid when they heard about the fee.
Some owned dozens of sport-shooting firearms.
"I would say it's communism," said Gene Fister, 70. "But taking something that belongs to someone else and charging them to get it back, it's worse. It's stealing."
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Fee infuriates gun owners
New county charge covers seizure, storage costs
By Ben Baeder Staff Writer
To the dismay of gun owners, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is now charging $54 to return firearms seized during arrests or searches - even if the gun was legally owned and not used in a crime.
The Los Angeles County Supervisors recently approved the fee, which they say would help recover $27,000 the county spends each year storing guns.
People recovering stolen firearms would not have to pay, according to county officials.
Sam Paredes, executive director of the Gun Owners of California, said Los Angeles County was "taking full advantage of state law in order to screw the public."
Paredes was referring to Assembly Bill 2431, passed in September 2004.
The law requires police to catalog guns and store them at least a year before the agency is allowed to destroy them. It also allows agencies to charge a storage fee.
Paredes said no other city or county in California was charging the storage fee.
In a report to the county Supervisors, Sheriff's officials say it costs them about $54 to do background checks and to store and process guns.
"It's the same thing as impounding a vehicle," said Lt. Dan Cruz.
About 500 guns would be returned per year, according to the report. It was not known how many guns had been collected since the fee was enacted Nov. 22.
At an area Sheriff's storage facility - deputies asked its location be kept secret - police store thousands of guns, each of which must be carefully catalogued and labeled. Many are never claimed.
In addition to the storage fee, the gun's owner must pay the
U.S. Department of Justice another $20 for a background check, according to the text of AB 2431. Each gun after the first gun is $3.
Officers at the Covina and Baldwin Park police departments said those cities do not charge a fee to return guns, although Baldwin Park is considering a fee.
Members of a legal office specializing in firearms law called the fee an "illegal tax."
"They have to handle evidence all the time. It's part of their job. If they take your clothes (during an investigation), they don't charge you to get your clothes back?" said John Mustafa, a legislative analyst for Trutanich-Michell, LLP in Long Beach, which has handled cases for the National Rifle Association.
The firm is considering sending a letter to the sheriff's office asking to suspend the fee, he said.
Gun owners practicing at the Triple B Clays Shotgun Sports Park at the Whittier Narrows were livid when they heard about the fee.
Some owned dozens of sport-shooting firearms.
"I would say it's communism," said Gene Fister, 70. "But taking something that belongs to someone else and charging them to get it back, it's worse. It's stealing."
[email protected]
