Federal officials have warned police agencies about the dangers of reselling guns to the public, a practice linked to violent crimes.

A new ATF report reveals that between 2019 and 2023, over 1,000 people were killed with guns once owned by police, and more than 2,500 violent crimes were committed with resold police firearms.

Many departments sell used guns to dealers, who resell them to the public.

Despite concerns raised since 1998, about 90% of police agencies surveyed continue this practice.

While the ATF did not call for a ban, it urged police to reconsider the impact of reselling weapons, CBS News has reported.

Some departments, like Minneapolis and Indianapolis, have stopped selling their guns following investigations into crimes linked to resold weapons.

Written by B.C. Begley