DC Gun Investigations

When conducting a DC gun investigation the police will search their own databases first. The police will begin their investigation by searching the DC database for registered guns maintained by the Metropolitan Police Department in the District of Columbia. The officer will do an intra-office search to quickly confirm whether a specific individual is registered to possess firearms in the District of Columbia.

If you believe you are under a gun investigation it is vital to contact a seasoned gun lawyer to ensure your rights are protected.

Verifying Proper Registration

The law enforcement officer will run a search on the gun’s model and serial number to find out whether the gun is registered in Washington, DC. Additionally, they will check to see whether the individual has a registration for firearms in the District.

The next step is to verify that the person has a registration specifically for that firearm. They might have guns registered in the District of Columbia; but if the gun they have on their person is not registered to them, they are in violation of the law. Any firearm a person possesses in the District of Columbia must be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department before the person can legally possess that firearm.

Routine Questioning

It is common for law enforcement officers to ask individuals they encounter whether they have any weapons. They may specifically say firearms. Law enforcement officers are always concerned about their own safety, so when they are engaged with someone during a DC gun investigation who is not another law enforcement officer, they usually ask the person if they have any weapons on them.

Whenever police officers pull somebody over in a vehicle, it is routine for them to ask if there are any weapons or contraband. If the officer is asking about drugs they might ask if there are any weapons, drugs, or contraband. This may simply be phrased as: “Is there anything in the car I need to know about?”

Identifying a Targeted Investigation

An individual has no obligation to affirmatively admit they have a firearm or other contraband on their person or in their presence. However, when an officer asks specific questions about a firearm, the person should know that the officer may be honing in on them. When a police officer asks specific questions about firearms and their location, the officer may be doing more than just asking about firearms for their own safety. At this juncture, it sounds like they are specifically targeting the person specifically for a DC gun investigation.

Another situation is when police officers arrive at a person’s house, apartment, or place of business with a search warrant and the warrant specifically lists firearms. The search warrant could be general or specify the model, caliber, serial number and anything related to firearms such as gun cases and ammunition. When that information is on the search warrant, the person knows specifically that law enforcement officers are targeting the person or the location for the possible recovery of illegal firearms.