April 25, 2007

Judging by their public statements, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg want the same goal: giving police the tools they need to fight crime.

They also agree that the Tiahrt amendment on gun records has some flaws in this regard.

So why not work together to fix them?

The Tiahrt amendment, first passed in 2003, restricts public access to gun data collected by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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But Bloomberg, who heads up an alliance of U.S. mayors aiming to reduce gun violence, recently launched an ad campaign targeting the Tiahrt amendment, which his group says prevents local law enforcement from using this powerful crime-fighting data.

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Denying local police the use of ATF data forces them to work blindfolded, according to John Feinblatt, Bloomberg's criminal justice coordinator. In New York City, Feinblatt pointed out, most of the guns used in crimes are purchased in other states. Being able to see the aggregate regional data allows police to spot trends and target problem gun dealers.

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In the interests of public safety, all sides in this debate need to work together to clarify the Tiahrt amendment.

For the editorial board, Randy Scholfield

© 2007 Wichita Eagle and wire service sources.