NYPD Loses Confiscated Weapons

(New York City) Since private ownership of a handgun without a license is outlawed in the state, it's odd that an audit would find discrepancies in the NYPD's handling of guns.

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. referred to the NYPD's current system of holding surrendered and confiscated firearms as unacceptable and demanded immediate improvements after announcing yesterday the results of his audit in lower Manhattan.

In June of last year, Thompson's audit gauged whether the NYPD's Manhattan Property Clerk Division - which receives, catalogs and protects weapons brought into custody - was adequately doing its job. The audit said Manhattan officials failed to account for or find 94 of the 324 firearms specified, adding that other boroughs' property divisions were found in a "similar state of disarray."

An NYPD spokesman said that all guns are accounted for, just not right away.