Tucson council challenges Brnovich on gun destruction policy

Regional News

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Tucson and the Arizona Attorney General are going to court in an unprecedented lawsuit to determine whether the city’s gun destruction policy violates state law.

The Tucson City Council voted 7-0 to challenge Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s assertion that the city’s policy may violate SB1487, a 2013 law that forbids Arizona cities from destroying guns seized by police. The law requires cities to sell seized guns to dealers.

Tucson police have destroyed 4,820 guns since the law took effect.

Brnovich conducted an investigation of the city’s policy in response to a request by Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, under a law enacted in 2016 that requires the attorney general to investigate whenever a lawmaker alleges a city or state subdivision is violating a statute or the Constitution.

Brnovich’s finding means he was required to file a case with the Arizona Supreme Court, which in turn is required to make it a top priority.

Brnovich gave the Tucson City Council until Dec. 6 to either get rid of the city policy or schedule a future council meeting to act.