HUGE ARSENAL (?) SEIZED

by Bob Walsh

Yes, the L.A. Times screams about a "huge arsenal" seized form the home of a higher-up in the Pasadena P.D. One has to wonder what their definition of huge is.

A federal registry entry released last week listed 57 firearms seized from the home of Lt. Vasken Gourdikian, who was the public information officer of the department. The Times article asserted that the "enormous haul" took two trucks to haul away. (I got news for you, 57 firearms could be taken away in a Prius. Of the bunch there were 20 rifles and 3 shotguns. The rest were hand guns. The search and seizure actually took place in February but the info was released only recently. Gourdikian is on paid administrative leave from the department. He has NOT been charged with any crime and there is no mention that any of the weapons were possessed illegally.

The focal point of this investigation appears to be "off roster" handguns. The formerly great state of California maintains a handgun roster of guns "not known to be unsafe." If you want to buy a new gun in CA and you are a private citizen your purchase must be on this list. That being said, police departments or individual police officers can buy "off-roster" guns, then resell them on the used market. Many of these guns are highly desirable to shooters who are willing to pay a premium for them. This has led to instances of some officers doing a brisk business as unlicensed gun dealers selling this off-roster private purchase guns. Law enforcement officers in CA have been successfully prosecuted for engaging in this business.

As for the "huge arsenal" 57 guns is nothing in the arena of serious gun collectors or accumulators. You can't believe everything you read, especially in the L.A. Times.