U.S. California police buy guns from dealers with troubling records: report

NEW YORK, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Law enforcement agencies across California have spent millions of U.S. dollars in taxpayer funds purchasing weapons from dealers with a history of failing to comply with federal firearms regulations, according to a new analysis by the nonprofit Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

The analysis revealed that at least 90 California law enforcement agencies have spent more than 20 million dollars buying firearms, ammunition and other gear from at least six federally licensed firearms dealers with a history of violating firearms laws, reported news portal The Intercept on Tuesday.

The violations included failing to report sales involving multiple weapons, a key indicator for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in identifying straw purchasers and potential firearms trafficking.

"Using taxpayer money to buy guns from dealers with a history of noncompliance with gun safety laws is counterproductive, to say the least," Erica Rice, program manager for Brady's Combating Crime Guns Initiative, was quoted as saying.

The review is part of Brady's ongoing Gun Store Transparency Project, a collection of thousands of records from the ATF regarding enforcement actions the agency has taken against licensed gun sellers for serious violations of federal law.