Handgun "Safety Inspection" situation in Dearborn

[Kurgan]

I went down to Dearborn Heights to have a new handgun inspected and when I got out of my car, 2 other handgun owners were in the parking lot sort of PO'd. They saw the reason I was there and told me not to bother going inside. The station is in the process of moving to the new facility on Michigan Ave. and the Gun Bureau is "closed" from 9/18 - 10/14. :?

That leaves a LOT of handgun purchasers in an interesting bind. Per the letter of the law, we're supposed to bring in our handguns within 10 days of purchase to have them safety inspected. With the gun bureau effectively closed for a month, what do we do now?

One of the guys said he had just called the Firearms Records Division of the Michigan State Police in Lansing. He explained the situation and asked what he was supposed to do.

He said the person in Lansing flatly stated that police departments are REQUIRED by the state to have a contingency plan in place. DHPD should have made prior arrangements with another PD to handle their safety inspections if they're "closed" for a period of time that would make complying with the 10 day rule an impossibility for handgun purchasers.

The Firearms Records person in Lansing was supposed to contact DHPD, see what was going on, and then call this guy back with instructions. I gave him my phone number and asked that he share whatever news he received from Lansing.

Anyone else ever encounter this sort of situation? What did you end up doing?

[taurus92]

Go to the WACO Sheriff's office off MIchigan Ave.. Tell them the situation and try to get it registered there

[Jim Simmons]

The Sheriff's Office is a good idea. That's who you'd go to if you don't have a local PD that does the inspections.

And for the moment, it sounds like you don't.

[PhotoTom]

That leaves a LOT of handgun purchasers in an interesting bind. Per the letter of the law, we're supposed to bring in our handguns within 10 days of purchase to have them safety inspected. With the gun bureau effectively closed for a month, what do we do now?


Jim,

I don't know if you made your purchase with a CPL or a purchase permit, but if you made it with a CPL, there technically IS NO time frame specified for getting the safety inspection done. The seller has to forward a copy of the RI-60 form to the MSP within 10 days, but there is nothing specifically stating that you have to get the safety inspection done within 10 days.

Otherwise, MSP is correct about the contingency plan. The Sheriff's office is also good advice, but it may take some persistence/legwork to get in touch with someone that will understand the situation and will complete the safety inspection certificate for you.

Good luck!

[Kurgan]

Yes, it was a CPL purchase. I tried getting in touch with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and not one of the people I spoke to were in the right department and they just kept shuffling me off to another number.

I sure as hell am being diligent about this but I may not succeed. What sucks is that I was told by Lansing that legally I cannot use my new purchase until it is inspected. So I've got a purchase that may have to sit unused for almost a month. :(

We'll see if I can make any progress today...

[PhotoTom]

What sucks is that I was told by Lansing that legally I cannot use my new purchase until it is inspected. So I've got a purchase that may have to sit unused for almost a month. :(

The law doesn't say that either....
Ask them to give you a reference to the applicable statute! They won't....it doesn't exist.

[50 BMG]

What sucks is that I was told by Lansing that legally I cannot use my new purchase until it is inspected. So I've got a purchase that may have to sit unused for almost a month.

BZZZZ WRONG!
Your purchase permit IS your registration until a proper green card can be issued. Just make sure to have it with you when you use your gun so that you can prove it's legally purchased... NOW, about the PD issue, I don't know about you all but, in the past I have "missed" the 10 day window on going back for inspections for various (work) reasons and the police department really didn't make issue with me about it... Afterall, you ARE trying to do the right thing still... just a little tardy in doing it... While I am not suggesting that going a month without the green card is a good thing, keep the names & dates that you talked with the MSP and I am sure this issue won't come back to bite you... Afterall, that green card is JUST a safety inspection right?!? :bs: :bs: :bs: :moon:

[Kurgan]

Update...

Guy did call me back and gave me the name/number of the MSP Lansing Firearms Dept. person he spoke with. She was supposed to call him back with what she found out about the situation (and some guidance of what to do) but has NOT called him. He even left her another message asking for an update call. Nothing.

So we've both got her name/number and if anyone gives me grief about it prior to getting the 'safety inspection' I'll be happy to recap the situation with dates/names/places.

[Ken P]

So we've both got her name/number and if anyone gives me grief about it prior to getting the 'safety inspection' I'll be happy to recap the situation with dates/names/places.

great idea and exactly what i was going to say.

Document who you talked to in the sheriffs office too

[goldwing2000]

So is the DH Gun Bureau open for business, now?
If so, are they in the new building or the old?
If not, is there an updated ETA?

If they are back up, they've changed the hours. I just tried calling and got voicemail. The number is apparently still the same.

[Kurgan]

DHPD Gun Bureau is back in business. I went down there yesterday and took care of the safety inspections I needed to.

They are in the new building at Michigan and Gulley and the gun bureau is on the 2nd floor.

Tuesday 12:30 - 3:30pm
Wednesday 11:30am - 3:30pm

[goldwing2000]

Ok... that's weird. I called today at 2:30 and there was no answer at the G.B. line. I even called the front desk and the girl transferred me to the same, unanswered line.

What the... ?!

[strat]

I havent been down to the new building yet but I have had a few purchase permits from D-Heights in the old building the problem I've had was that the gun beauro is only open from noon till 3 on Tuesday and Wendsday not much time if you have a job to get down there, once I got my permit on a tuesday and had to bring it back the next day because there is only one cop working there and he was on vacation the next week so nobody to run the gun beauro, so much for having 10 days to purchase. some places just dont make it easy for you.