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New law targets federal agents who lose guns and badges

By Paul Boyd
By Paul Boyd

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new law is in the works to crack down on federal agents who lose their government-issued weapons in cities like Charlotte.

There have been 228 guns that were lost by personnel working for the Department of Homeland Security over a recent two-year period along with nearly 2,000 badges.

An inspectors general report last month caught the attention of congressional Rep. Luis Correa.

"It was troubling. You've got to come up with a process to secure these items. You never leave it unattended. You always secure it. That badge. That gun. That laptop." Correa said on Friday from Washington, D.C.

The bipartisan bill would instruct all agencies within the Department of Homeland Security to work on fixing the problem require greater accountability and safeguards for federal guns and badges.

The FBI is not covered by the bill but was at the center of controversy in Charlotte this summer at the Westin Hotel in Uptown.

[FBI official in Charlotte training has cash, gun stolen by woman claiming to be 'exotic dancer']

Several FBI agents reportedly spent time there with exotic dancers during a conference and one top counter-terrorism official woke up the next morning and realized his Glock-27 handgun was stolen along with cash and an expensive Rolex watch.

The FBI said it has its own strict reporting standards already in place and it remains to be seen if the new gun law for Homeland Security will inspire changes for other federal agencies and possibly local law enforcement.

The new law is expected to go before the full House of Representatives for a vote later this month.

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