TULSA, Okla. — A unit within the Tulsa Police Department is making a difference.
In 2018, its Special Investigations Unit (gang unit, narcotics, crime gun unit) took more than 800 illegal guns off our streets.
Officers believe these efforts are not only reducing crime, but lowering our homicide rates.
Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin said his new Crime Gun Unit can recover a gun from a scene on Monday and have it traced back to a crime by Wednesday.
It's is one of the many units working behind the scenes at Tulsa Police to stop gun violence.
2018 was a big year. More than 800 guns taken away from criminals compared with 2017, where the only 518 guns were recovered.
Larkin said the technology is helping them track down stolen guns being used in crimes.
“We’re recovering these cartridge cases and we’re able to tie them back to other shooting scenes where carriage cases were recovered and we’re recovering these guns from these guys that are connecting it back to these cartridge cases,” Larkin said.
He said the Crime Gun Unit now has the power to go after people who legally purchase guns, but knowingly sell them to those that shouldn’t own them.
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