New York lawmaker asks ATF to send more officers to Long Island to crack down on illegal guns

A New York lawmaker on Thursday called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to send more officers to Long Island to crack down on illicit gun trafficking in Nassau County. .

In a letter to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach, Rep. Anthony D’Esposito argued that “skyrocketing crime” on Long Island has overwhelmed local law enforcement and prevented them from focus on investigating the source of the illegal weapons flooding New York’s 4th congressional district.

“Last year, two individuals from Georgia were arrested for trafficking more than twenty-five firearms in Nassau County, eleven of which were recovered from the crime scene,” D’Esposito noted in his letter. “This is unacceptable. Gun trafficking on Long Island is detrimental to our communities and we must do everything in our power to ensure local law enforcement has the resources and tools they need. to keep our communities safe.

Nassau County police seized some 278 illegal firearms last year, up from at least 195 in 2021 and 183 in 2020.

D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective, thinks increased cooperation between the ATF and Nassau County cops — including having more federal agents in Nassau — can help stem the flow of police. guns entering Long Island.

“I understand that there is a significant disparity between the number of ATF officers on Long Island and those in New York City. I ask that you improve your cooperation with local law enforcement to assist in investigations and combating gun trafficking,” writes D’Esposito.

The House of Representatives approved D’Esposito’s pro-law enforcement resolution condemning calls to ‘defund the police’ last week in a 268-156 vote that saw 62 Democrats back the law enforcement measure. NYPD.

The resolution also codified a federal “bill of rights” for police officers, also proposed by D’Esposito.