A firearms investigation unit, one year — and 1,000 guns — later

Montgomery County (Map, News) - Montgomery County’s Firearms Investigation Unit just confiscated its 1,000th gun. Initially formed as a one-year pilot task force after the 2002 sniper shootings, the unit has since been made permanent. In its three years of existence, the five dedicated officers have served 235 search warrants and arrested 548 individuals on illegal gun possessions. Sgt. Kenneth Berger is in charge of the unit.

Why do most of these citizens have the guns illegally?

Most of the possessors of illegal firearms in Montgomery County have been prohibited from owning firearms due to criminal convictions. You are prohibited from possessing a firearm in Maryland if you have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor that carries a statutory penalty of over two years incarceration.

Other prohibiting factors are: a fugitive from justice; addicted to any controlled dangerous substance or is a habitual user of drugs; a habitual drunkard; a sufferer of a mental disorder and having a history of violent behavior against another person or self; has a current civil protective order.

How does your unit generally catch these offenders?

Most of our cases are generated by uniformed patrol officers. If they arrest a person with a gun, we will fully investigate the person to see if they are prohibited and ensure that they are properly charged. We also investigate and trace every gun seized in Montgomery County to find previous owners and to try and identify firearms traffickers.

What are patterns you've noticed among people with illegal guns?

There are no patterns that I have noticed. We have made gun arrests in all parts of Montgomery County. We have seized guns from people of all ethnicities, races and social-economic classes. People possess guns for all different reasons.

Has Montgomery County ever had a program in which people could turn in their guns without fear of punishment?

Montgomery County has not had a gun turn-in program in recent history. ... Citizens of Montgomery County can turn in a firearm to any police station by calling 301-279-8000.

What are the most popular types of guns found?

The handguns that we recover the most in Montgomery County are .38 or .357 revolvers. The most recovered long gun (rifle/shotgun) is the 12-gauge shotgun.

– Dena Levitz