http://troopers.ny.gov/Firearms/
Bureau responsibilities
All records of transaction and pistol permits issued in the state are forwarded to the Pistol Permit Bureau for entry into a master database maintained by NYSP. Documents are filed by county and type of transaction. A paper trail is established for each handgun lawfully possessed in NYS; thus, a handgun can be tracked from owner to owner. Current ownership of the weapon and the legality of a person's possession of the weapon can be quickly determined.
Instantly, Bureau personnel are able to provide police investigators from agencies across the country with information pertaining to handguns that may have been involved in the commission of a crime.
Pistol Permit Bureau personnel:
- Help answer questions pertaining to the pistol permit process for police agencies, elected representatives and the public.
- Provide documentation to law enforcement agencies regarding a person's right to possess a specific handgun, instantly giving information on gun ownership and licenses.
- Keep track of handguns personally owned and possessed by law enforcement personnel.
- Track inventory of weapons (machineguns, handguns, short-barreled rifles or shotguns) that are subject to regulations and independently stored by law enforcement agencies.
- Oversee, review and authorize the destruction of nuisance weapons by state law enforcement agencies.