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Bill pushes ballistics testing of new guns
By Neil Rhines
Herald Times Reporter
MANITOWOC — Legislation authorizing the “fingerprinting†of new guns would help law enforcement trace more weapons to criminals, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl said.
By using the science of ballistics testing, the Technological Resource to Assist Criminal Enforcement Act would require American and imported gun manufacturers to test-fire all firearms and prepare ballistics images of the shell casings and bullets before sale in the United States.
Just as no two fingerprints look exactly the same, every gun leaves a distinct fingerprint on spent shell casings and bullets.
“Ballistics technology today is state of the art, but we haven’t given law enforcement the tools needed to take full advantage of its benefits,†Kohl said. “It’s time to tap the full potential of ballistics testing to solve more gun crimes.â€
The bullets and shell casings helped police apprehend the East Coast Sniper in fall 2002, and ballistics aided crime labs in “linking 5,700 guns to two or more crimes where corroborating evidence was otherwise lacking,†he said.
Bruce Elliot, owner of Louie’s Sporting Goods, Manitowoc, said the legislation wouldn’t be anything new, as Maryland and New York states already require the testing of handguns. The problem with requiring this kind of testing, however, is that it doesn’t take into account the millions of firearms already owned by Americans.
Manitowoc County Sheriff Ken Petersen said the law would help authorities to “narrow down the list,†but ballistics databases wouldn’t have every fingerprint in the country.
“It’s fine if (suspects) use a new gun,†Petersen said. “But how many are out there without a history?â€
Also, if a suspect uses a stolen gun, authorities would have a harder time tracing it back to the user. And, the plan does not include shotguns, he said.
“Ballistics tracing works, but so many guns aren’t registered when sold between private parties,†Petersen said.
The situation is similar to the period of law enforcement in England and the United States when they began the practice of dusting for fingerprints at the scene of a crime and using them as evidence, he said.
“This is the first step,†Petersen said.
http://www.wisinfo.com/heraldtimes/news/archive/local_9133068.shtml
By Neil Rhines
Herald Times Reporter
MANITOWOC — Legislation authorizing the “fingerprinting†of new guns would help law enforcement trace more weapons to criminals, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl said.
By using the science of ballistics testing, the Technological Resource to Assist Criminal Enforcement Act would require American and imported gun manufacturers to test-fire all firearms and prepare ballistics images of the shell casings and bullets before sale in the United States.
Just as no two fingerprints look exactly the same, every gun leaves a distinct fingerprint on spent shell casings and bullets.
“Ballistics technology today is state of the art, but we haven’t given law enforcement the tools needed to take full advantage of its benefits,†Kohl said. “It’s time to tap the full potential of ballistics testing to solve more gun crimes.â€
The bullets and shell casings helped police apprehend the East Coast Sniper in fall 2002, and ballistics aided crime labs in “linking 5,700 guns to two or more crimes where corroborating evidence was otherwise lacking,†he said.
Bruce Elliot, owner of Louie’s Sporting Goods, Manitowoc, said the legislation wouldn’t be anything new, as Maryland and New York states already require the testing of handguns. The problem with requiring this kind of testing, however, is that it doesn’t take into account the millions of firearms already owned by Americans.
Manitowoc County Sheriff Ken Petersen said the law would help authorities to “narrow down the list,†but ballistics databases wouldn’t have every fingerprint in the country.
“It’s fine if (suspects) use a new gun,†Petersen said. “But how many are out there without a history?â€
Also, if a suspect uses a stolen gun, authorities would have a harder time tracing it back to the user. And, the plan does not include shotguns, he said.
“Ballistics tracing works, but so many guns aren’t registered when sold between private parties,†Petersen said.
The situation is similar to the period of law enforcement in England and the United States when they began the practice of dusting for fingerprints at the scene of a crime and using them as evidence, he said.
“This is the first step,†Petersen said.
http://www.wisinfo.com/heraldtimes/news/archive/local_9133068.shtml
