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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Nickels warns federal firearms bill could hamper police investigations
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
3/28/2006 4:30:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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Nickels warns federal firearms bill could hamper police investigations
House proposal would deny Seattle police
critical information to prevent gun
crimes
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels today issued a letter of strong opposition to
H.R. 5005, the Firearms Corrections and Improvements Act, warning the legislation
would “severely restrict the ability of the Seattle Police Department
to investigate the sources of crime guns and stop those who are illegally providing
guns to criminals.”
The mayor sent the letter to U.S. Reps. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. and John
Conyers, Jr., Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Judiciary
Committee. Nickels’ letter was also hand-delivered by New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg to a subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
during a hearing on the bill today.
Nickels wrote that the bill would “shield those who supply guns to criminals
by withholding important crime gun trace information from law enforcement.
No one is safer when police and prosecutors are denied the vital information
they require to perform their jobs protecting our citizens.”
If passed, the legislation would hinder on-going efforts by Seattle Police
Department to identify the sources of illegal gun sales by using AFT information
to trace firearms used in crimes.
Nickels’ letter was delivered as Seattle grapples with the worst case
of gun violence in more than 20 years: a murder spree on Capitol Hill Saturday
that left seven people dead.
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Office of the Mayor
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