Data shows 58% of Minnesota law enforcement agencies trace weapons, but only 13% share what they learn | WCCO Investigates
MINNEAPOLIS — A dozen states require police to trace guns recovered during criminal investigations, according to "Everytown for Gun Safety." Minnesota isn't one of them.
Data shows that 58% of law enforcement agencies in the state trace some weapons, but only 13% of them share what they learn.
Should that change? WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle went to Travis Riddle, the ATF's Special Agent in Charge in St. Paul, to find out.
Pistols are the most commonly traced guns found at crime scenes in Minnesota.
"For crime guns, the easier you're able to hide it or conceal it, or even just get rid of it, that is going to be the weapon of choice," Riddle said.
They account for more than 70% of crime guns traced in Minnesota last year, most often Glocks, says Riddle. Reasons for the trace range from a weapon offense to homicide.
"The trends for the state is that the majority of the firearms that are recovered and traced in Minnesota originated in Minnesota," Riddle said.
Agencies in the state have a choice if they want the ATF to trace its crime guns. It can be done online using eTrace or over the phone, and it's free. Cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul do.
"Why does St. Paul choose to do it?" Mayerle asked St. Paul District Chief Jeff Stiff.
"I think that it's important, right? Obviously a crime with a victim, a person's crime with a victim, and it can help you. You don't know when it can help you, right?" Stiff said.
"Why does the department put all of the guns into the eTrace system?" Mayerle asked MPD Forensic Administrative Analyst Mehgan Hamann.
"So that it can help in any, I mean, it could help in any shape or form," Hamann said.
Close to 40% of agencies in the state don't use eTrace.
"There is an incentive for them to participate. But a lot of times what it takes is to show them that the first success of you trace this gun, this is where it got you. This is how it helps you," Riddle said.
Agencies that opt in can share their data with other law enforcement in the state, but few do.
"It's not something that they're intentionally excluding. It's a checkbox, and either you check it or you don't check it," Riddle said. "And if you don't check it, then you don't get to share."
Lawmakers could change that and require agencies to trace crime guns. A move like that could create a bigger picture of guns connected to crimes within the state. It could also put more pressure on an already strapped tracing system.
Neil Troppman runs the ATF's National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
"So right now, we're on average of about 10 or 11 days to complete this firearms trace, which in our view is too long," Troppman said. "Our objective is to get them done within seven days for a routine trace."
"Why is it important for agencies to trace their crime guns?" Mayerle asked Troppman.
"The tracing of firearms not only identifies the purchaser of that particular firearm that was used in that crime, but the collective information of a firearm trace could lead to wider trafficking issues or bigger trends in that area," Troppman said.
One thing is clear: the ATF wants more departments to use eTrace. And the center can already use more manpower. The budget proposal submitted for 2025 requests tens of millions for upgrades, saying in part: "Delays in crime gun trace results increase the risk of investigative leads going cold and leave shooters on the streets longer, giving them the opportunity to commit more crimes."
"An increase in staff would certainly assist in making improvements to our facility. More resources, more funding, those kinds of things would certainly enable us to be a little bit more efficient," Troppman said.
WCCO reached out to state lawmakers invested in gun legislation. They declined our interview request or said they needed more information before taking a position. We'll be sure to follow up.
Wednesday at 6 p.m., we look into the national conversation to modernize the ATF's tracing system.
