Louisville police and federal prosecutors are calling on Kentucky legislators to change state law that allows seized firearms to be sold at public auction after prosecution. The push follows two recent operations that netted nearly 200 weapons, raising concerns that many of the guns could re‑enter the community.

Federal seizures and permanent destruction

U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner for the Western District of Kentucky explained that firearms seized in federal cases are destroyed after the defendants are convicted. “Federally, these guns will never see the streets again,” he said.

During Operation Silent Hammer, a joint effort involving local, state and federal agencies, undercover officers seized 160 firearms. Among them, at least 12 were reported stolen and several had been illegally modified. Investigators also recovered 42 conversion devices—commonly known as Glock switches—that can turn semi‑automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons.

A separate federal operation in August added another 31 firearms to the tally, bringing the combined total to 191 seized weapons.

State‑level seizures can end up at auction

In contrast, firearms taken in state cases are transferred to the Kentucky State Police and may later be sold at public auction. Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey said local officials have no control over the condition in which those weapons are sold.

“You have men and women who are willing to risk their lives, willing to put it all on the line in order to get these guns off the street,” Chief Humphrey said. “And then, as a state, we decide that it’s OK for those guns to walk right back out on the street. That needs to change, plain and simple.”

Push for a state ban on conversion devices

Police leaders are also urging Kentucky lawmakers to ban the conversion devices themselves. While federal law already prohibits Glock switches, Kentucky has no specific ban, limiting what local police and state troopers can do when they confiscate such items.

Chief Humphrey and other officials backed House Bill 299, which would have made the devices illegal under state law. The bill passed the Kentucky House but stalled in a Senate committee during the spring legislative session and, as of Monday, had not been re‑filed.

“It can go right back on the street because there’s nothing we can do with it, except through our partnerships with the feds,” Humphrey said.

What lawmakers can do

The law‑making challenge is two‑fold: first, to amend the state code so that seized firearms are destroyed rather than auctioned; second, to add conversion devices to the list of prohibited items. Both steps would align Kentucky’s handling of seized weapons with the federal approach and address the frustration expressed by officers on the front lines.

Community members and faith‑based groups have also voiced support for stronger gun‑safety measures, emphasizing the need to protect families and uphold constitutional rights while ensuring public safety.

Next steps

Lawmakers will need to revisit House Bill 299 or introduce new legislation in the upcoming session. Until then, seized firearms will continue to be sold at auction, a practice that law‑enforcement officials argue undermines their efforts to keep illegal weapons off the streets.

Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.