Firearm Safety Locks

A March 1997 presidential directive requires federal agencies to develop policies requiring that safety locks accompany each handgun issued to federal law enforcement officers. Agencies must also inform all federal law enforcement officers of the policy and provide instructions for the proper use of the devices. In May 1997, the White House issued a memorandum clarifying that the directive covers all firearms, not just handguns. These measures are intended to reduce unauthorized use of firearms and protect children from injury and death. This report answers two questions: (1) How many firearms have been issued to or are used in an official capacity at selected federal law enforcement organizations? (2) How have selected federal law enforcement organizations implemented the presidential directive?

GAO noted that: (1) the three executive branch organizations GAO reviewed that are subject to the presidential directive--the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, and the National Park Service (NPS)--have issued about 72,000 firearms to employees, with Justice issuances accounting for about 49,000 of the total; (2) additionally, these organizations have authorized for official use about 26,000 personally owned firearms; (3) of this total, Justice authorizations accounted for about 23,000; (4) the Postal Inspection Service has issued about 2,000 firearms to employees and authorized about 400 personally owned firearms for official use; (5) the Capitol Police have issued approximately 1,100 firearms to officers but does not allow personally owned firearms to be used for official duties; (6) the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts had no readily available, centralized data showing the number of firearms issued to or used by federal judicial district officers; (7) Justice, Treasury, and NPS officials told GAO their organizations have taken appropriate steps to implement the presidential directive; (8) in implementing the presidential directive, these organizations are requiring that all firearms issued to employees, as well as personally owned firearms authorized for official use, be equipped with safety lock devices; (9) generally, these organizations did not require safety lock devices for firearms that are maintained in secure agency facilities and not taken home by employees; (10) GAO's review verified that these organizations have developed and taken actions to communicate a safety lock policy to their law enforcement officers; (11) the Postal Inspection Service has voluntarily developed and taken actions to communicate a safety lock policy to its law enforcement officers and has purchased safety lock devices for all permanently issued and personally owned firearms authorized for official use by its inspectors; (12) the Postal Inspection Service does not require safety lock devices for firearms that are maintained in secure agency vaults and not taken home; (13) the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has provided the 94 federal judicial districts guidance on the use of firearms; and (14) however, according to the Administrative Office, each district has the discretion to establish its own policies, and the Administrative Office had no readily available summary or overview of current policies and practices in all districts.