Divided Council OKs Sale of Guns by St. Charles Police

A divided City Council on Monday agreed to let the St. Charles Police Department sell off, rather than destroy, 30 firearms that the department had stored in its armory, some for as long as 20 years.

The City Council voted 6-3 to declare the weapons, as well as some rifle parts and a semiautonatic Intratec 9 and an Uzi, as surplus property, most of which will be sold to two licensed gun dealers. The Intratec and Uzi will be destroyed.

The proposal to sell the 30 firearms and rifle parts had sparked some media reaction over the weekend, examining the proposed sale in an era where, at least in some suburbs, weapons that have been seized by police and not needed as evidence often are destroyed.

But Police Chief Jim Lamkin noted that the weapons have real value. Some were set aside when the department merged its tactical team with Kane County’s several years ago; others have been stored in the armory for two decades.

In a time when police and government agencies have seen revenues drop and cut expenses accordingly, the value of the firearms as a potential source of cash to supplement the department’s budget is attractive. The executive summary to the City Council show the two licensed gun dealers — Streicher’s-Milwaukee and Alpha Armament Co. — are willing to pay nearly $5,875 for the weapons and gun parts.

The tactical police weapons, which are being purchased by Streicher, will be used for parts for law enforcement purposes, according to a Jan. 25, 2013 memo that was a part of the council’s original documentation when it first reviewed the sale last month. The memo noted that the weapons represented both department guns that no longer are needed, or had been ordered into the department’s custody by the courts.

But the weekend media coverage of the proposed sale apparently caused second thoughts among some on the council.

Fifth Ward Alderwoman Maureen Lewis, who was joined by 5th Ward Alderman Ed Bessner and 4th Ward Alderwoman Jo Krieger in voting against the sale,  said she felt she did not have all the information — that when the council examined the issue for the first time on May 20, she had believed all the weapons involved were formerly used by police.

She expressed specific concern about the weapons that had been turned over to the department by the courts, noting that had any of the firearms been used in a suicide or attempted suicide, the family likely would want to have the weapon involved destroyed.

Lamkin said when a family turns over a weapon to police with the request that it be destroyed, the department honors that request.

Likewise, Krieger said she was changing her mind after supporting the measure in May. Specifically, Krieger said she had understood the council action was for disposal of the firearms, not for their resale. Monday night, she said, she now felt as if not all the information had been brought before the council earlier.

Bessner said he was on the fence over the issue, saying he could see the angst come were feeling about the proposal, yet recognizing the city’s sustainability initiative encourages such initiatives.

Lamkin pointed out that the nearly $6,000  at stake from the sale could be used by the department in a number of different ways. He also acknowledged that while Chicago and suburbs like Elgin are destroying surplus firearms, selling the unused weapons is not unheard of and likely more common in downstate communities.

Mayor Raymond Rogina said he understood the issue us a volatile one, with strong opinions on both sides. Still, he expressed faith in the police department’s direction.

As a council, he said, “we face more serious questions in the days and weeks ahead.”

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