There are over 130,000 men and women employed as federal law enforcement officers. And for many of them, carrying a firearm is a daily requirement. While these individuals receive extensive training in the safe-handling and storage of their weapons, mistakes can still happen.
Incidents involving federal law enforcement agents losing their government issued firearm occur with some regularity. Audit reports from the Office of the Inspector General, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, reveal that 120 firearms – including pistols, rifles, shotguns, and even submachine guns – have been either lost by, or stolen from, federal agents in recent years. (Here is a look at the 22 firearms used by federal agents.)
Whenever a federal agent’s service weapon goes missing, the circumstances surrounding the incident are logged. Using data from OIG audits of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshal Service, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most common ways federal agents lose their firearms. While some instances involve some degree of carelessness, others, such as burglary and theft, are harder to avoid.
In the years covered by OIG audits for each agency, over a dozen firearms were lost by federal agents who left them in public places, including restrooms, restaurants, subways, and hotels. Others were simply misplaced.
But most often, a missing firearm is often the result of a theft, particularly from a car or truck. The OIG audit reports reveal that 40 firearms were stolen from government vehicles, another nine were taken from personal vehicles, and five were left in vehicles that themselves were stolen. (Here is a look at the states where the most guns are stolen.)
Only about half of government issued firearms that have gone missing in recent years have been recovered. Some recovered firearms were determined to have been used in a crime, and many of those that remain missing may yet be.
Click here to see 23 ways federal agents lose their own weapons.
Click here to see our detailed methodology.
23. Firearm thrown out
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: None
> Agency involved: ATF
> Disciplinary action severity: None (agent retired)
[in-text-ad]
22. Firearm stolen from hotel room
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Disciplinary action severity: Dismissal
21. Firearm stolen during shipping
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: None
> Agency involved: ATF
> Disciplinary action severity: None
20. Firearm stolen by family member
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Disciplinary action severity: 3-day suspension
[in-text-ad-2]
19. Firearm stolen at airport
> Total firearms involved: 1 unknown
> Firearms recovered: 1 unknown (100% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Disciplinary action severity: 5-day suspension
18. Firearm lost while riding motorcycle
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: DEA
> Disciplinary action severity: 5-day suspension
[in-text-ad]
17. Firearm lost while hunting
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: DEA
> Disciplinary action severity: 3-day suspension
16. Firearm lost in a prison facility
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Disciplinary action severity: 7-day suspension
15. Firearm left on public transportation
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: ATF
> Disciplinary action severity: 10-day suspension
[in-text-ad-2]
14. Firearm left in a public area
> Total firearms involved: 1 handgun
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (100% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Disciplinary action severity: 3-day suspension
13. Firearm lost in the mail
> Total firearms involved: 2 rifles
> Firearms recovered: 2 rifles (100% of total)
> Agency involved: ATF
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None
[in-text-ad]
12. Firearm lost during training exercise
> Total firearms involved: 2 handguns
> Firearms recovered: None
> Agencies involved: DEA, FBI
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None – 3-day suspension
11. Firearm left in a hotel
> Total firearms involved: 2 handguns, 1 unknown
> Firearms recovered: 2 handguns, 1 unknown (100% of total)
> Agencies involved: DEA, FBI
> Range of disciplinary action severity: 3-day – 5-day suspension
10. Firearm lost after being left on a vehicle
> Total firearms involved: 3 handguns, 1 shotgun
> Firearms recovered: 3 handguns, 1 shotgun (100% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI
> Range of disciplinary action severity: 3-day – 5-day suspension
[in-text-ad-2]
9. Firearm left in a restaurant
> Total firearms involved: 4 handguns
> Firearms recovered: 4 handguns (100% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI
> Range of disciplinary action severity: Letter of reprimand – 8-day suspension
8. Firearm left in a public restroom
> Total firearms involved: 2 handguns, 2 unknown
> Firearms recovered: 2 handguns, 2 unknown (100% of total)
> Agencies involved: FBI, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: 1-day – 4-day suspension
[in-text-ad]
7. Firearm left inside a vehicle that was stolen
> Total firearms involved: 3 handguns, 1 shotgun, 1 rifle
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun, 1 shotgun (40.0% of total)
> Agency involved: US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: Pending – none
6. Firearm lost after being left in a vehicle
> Total firearms involved: 6 handguns
> Firearms recovered: 4 handguns (66.7% of total)
> Agencies involved: DEA, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None – 5-day suspension
5. Firearm stolen or lost due to inadequate safeguarding
> Total firearms involved: 5 handguns, 2 submachine guns
> Firearms recovered: 2 handguns (28.6% of total)
> Agency involved: FBI
> Range of disciplinary action severity: 3-day – 5-day suspension
[in-text-ad-2]
4. Firearm stolen from residence
> Total firearms involved: 6 handguns, 1 shotgun
> Firearms recovered: 2 handguns (28.6% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None – 45-day suspension
3. Firearm stolen from personal vehicle
> Total firearms involved: 8 handguns, 1 carbine
> Firearms recovered: 1 handgun (11.1% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: 3-day – 60-day suspension
[in-text-ad]
2. Firearm misplaced/went missing
> Total firearms involved: 16 handguns, 1 rifle
> Firearms recovered: 9 handguns, 1 rifle (58.8% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None – 25-day suspension
24/7 Wall St.
1. Firearm stolen from government vehicle
> Total firearms involved: 22 handguns, 7 carbines, 5 shotguns, 3 submachine guns, 3 rifles
> Firearms recovered: 5 handguns, 3 carbines, 3 shotguns, 2 submachine guns, 2 rifles (37.5% of total)
> Agencies involved: ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals
> Range of disciplinary action severity: None – 35-day suspension
Methodology
To identify the most common ways federal law enforcement agents lose their firearms, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed audit data from the Office of the Inspector General, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The four federal agencies audited by the OIG are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshal Service. We ranked each of the circumstances by the number of firearms federal agents reported either lost or stolen over the periods covered in each audit.
The ATF audit covers all firearms lost or stolen over the four years from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2017, the DEA audit spans five years from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2018, the FBI audit period is from September 2015 through July 2019, and the U.S. Marshal Service audit covers fiscal 2015 through April 2018.
All data in this story, including the number and types of firearms stolen or lost, the number and types of firearms recovered, and disciplinary action taken are from the OIG reports. These figures do not include the three handguns and one shotgun that were lost after being left on top of a trailer or a vehicle’s bumper, roof, or trunk.
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Get started right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
