State’s gun database has a 2-year backlog of transactions

OLYMPIA — A state firearms database relied upon by law enforcement officers lacks information on the sale of thousands of handguns in Washington in the past two years.

The state Department of Licensing ended September with a backlog of 327,753 pistol transfers to enter into the database used daily by city, county, state and federal authorities for a variety of investigative purposes.

Last week agency employees were inputting make, model, serial number and caliber of weapon on purchases made in 2014, as well as information on those who bought the guns.

Agency leaders predict the backlog, which stood at 106,000 records in November 2013, will reach 385,000 records by June 2017. They are seeking $382,000 in the next state budget to hire a private data entry firm to catch up. Gov. Jay Inslee included the sum in his proposed budget released Dec. 14.

If the department secures the money, the goal is to hire a vendor and erase the backlog by the end of 2017, said agency spokesman Brad Benfield

“What we need to do is get caught up and make sure it is useful for the purpose outlined in law,” he said.

In Washington, the Department of Licensing is tasked with collecting data from sales of handguns by licensed firearms dealers and getting those details into the database.

It also inputs information on people obtaining or renewing a concealed pistol license and those who cannot legally possess a gun, either due to a court order or because they are deemed mentally unfit. Agency officials say this specific information is current.

It’s not been easy for the state agency to keep up with gun sales because the number of those keep climbing.

Licensed firearm dealers sold 67,739 pistols in 2006 and all but 315 of the records got into the database, according to agency documents. In 2012, handgun sales totaled 170,792 and agency staff managed to enter 66,528 into the system.

In its budget request, the department said it receives 240,000 records per year of firearm sales and licenses, 85 percent of which are submitted on paper. In those instances, data must be entered manually, Benfield said.

What concerns agency leaders about the backlog is the potential safety risk of a law enforcement officer not getting “a complete picture of what firearms (a person) may have purchased,” Benfield said.

For example, a person who is not supposed to possess a firearm could have bought one at some point in the recent past. The database would be the place to find out but not if the record of the sale is stuck in the backlog, he explained.

“We want our database to be accurate,” Benfield said.

And for good reason — it’s used a lot.

Officers from city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies will check the database more than 2 million times this year alone. Agency records show they tapped into it 691,193 times between July 1 and Sept. 30, an average of 7,679 times a day.

“It is an essential need for law enforcement. We wish it was up-to-date because we’ve got to have that information,” said Mitch Barker, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

It’s a tremendous tool for investigating the history and ownership of a gun, he said.

And in situations where officers recover a weapon that’s been stolen, they can check serial numbers in the database to find the legal owner but only if the information is current, he said.

The state agency’s firearms database isn’t the only available to law enforcement. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives manages the National Tracing Center which law enforcement officers can use for investigating the source of weapons made in the United States or overseas.

The importance of ensuring timely and accurate information in databases became evident in the conviction of Raymond Fryberg for illegally possessing firearms, including the gun that his son used in the deadly Marysville Pilchuck High School shootings in 2014.

Raymond Fryberg was the subject of a 2002 domestic violence protection order in Tulalip Tribal Court that forbade him from owning guns. But he continued to buy guns without a problem because the order was not entered into any state or federal database that can be checked during firearm purchases and during contacts with police.

In October, Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued a report on access to firearms in Washington in response to a request from the governor. In it, Ferguson wrote the effectiveness of the department of licensing’s database “depends on the agency’s ability to keep up with the workload of inputting data, and the ability of the agency to communicate that information to those who need it.”

Ferguson recommended the governor “determine the best way to ensure that the Washington Department of Licensing’s firearms system contains accurate and timely records of pistol transfer applications, alien firearms licenses, and concealed pistol licenses, and that the information is available to those who need it.”

Agency leaders’ request for funding to deal with the problem have gone unmet for several years. Meanwhile, changes have been made to get data uploaded more efficiently though there is still a need for money to tackle the backlog, Benfield said.

He said lawmakers’ reluctance is probably a result of too much demand for a limited supply of dollars after the Great Recession when every agency cut back.

“We feel it is important, but the Legislature has to make a lot of tough decisions each year and hasn’t gotten to this one yet,” Benfield said.

There is a political element too as some lawmakers and gun rights groups want to see databases collecting information on firearm owners go away, Barker said.

“Funding is a big issue,” Barker said. “But there’s some political will to not make this work properly. Combine that with the funding concerns and this makes it an easy request to kill.”

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dospueblos

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

District 2 candidates differ in public safety approach

Incumbent Paula Rhyne is facing challenger Ryan Crowther. The third candidate, Jonathan Shapiro, is no longer seeking the seat.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Guns for sale at Caso’s Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, which has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/New Jersey Monitor)
After suing, WA gets carveout from Trump administration plan to return gun conversion devices

The Trump administration has agreed to not distribute devices that turn semi-automatic… Continue reading

The Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility about 16 miles east of Ellensburg in central Washington is part of Puget Sound Energy’s clean energy portfolio. (Courtesy of Puget Sound Energy)
Megabill’s elimination of tax credits for clean energy projects could cost WA $8.7 billion

Washington households could see electricity costs increase $115 per year by 2029; 21,800 workers could lose their jobs by 2030, analysts say.

Everett mayor candidates focus on affordability, city budget in costly race

As incumbent Cassie Franklin seeks a third term in office, three candidates are looking to unseat her.

Everett
Judge sentences man, 73, for intending to have sex with ‘teen’ in Everett

The Arizona man sent explicit images to an agent posing as a 13-year-old. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

State’s draft of climate action plan open for public comment

Residents can submit public comments or climate-related stories online through Aug. 22.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.