MEMPHIS, Tenn. — MPD is seeing an increase in the use of fully automatic Glock switches, saying officers are recovering these illegal weapons from scenes too frequently.
Law enforcement agencies said the use of Glock switches, which are devices that turn handguns into fully automatic weapons, are an emerging threat, and they are finding them in places such as Memphis and Jackson, Tenn. They are calling for people to put the switches down.
Officers said people purchase Glock switches online and from other countries like China and Russia. MPD said it took 5,000 illegally possessed guns off the streets last year, and officers find up to 3 illegal guns every week.
These weapons are dangerous when in the wrong hands.
“Especially from a moving car, or when they get out, they’re just shooting as fast as they can, hoping they hit, and unfortunately, we do see innocent bystanders, innocent people’s houses struck all the time,” Assistant Chief of Police Don Crow said.
Kevin Ritz, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, said they are handling several dozens of prosecutions at the federal level.
“We’re going to keep taking these cases federal and bringing consequences for the folks who are possessing these dangerous devices,” Ritz said.