Cleveland, Tenn., to auction surplus weapons

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The city is planning to sell its confiscated guns, with the proceeds to be used for purchasing police weapons.

More than 160 firearms on a court-approved list have been released for sale by the district attorney general's office. The Cleveland City Council recently approved a resolution accepting the weapons as city surplus property.

"The final list will be somewhat shorter," Assistant City Manager Melinda Carroll said Friday. "I saw at least four [guns] with no serial numbers, and we cannot sell those."

Those weapons will be otherwise disposed of as required by law, Cleveland Police Department Chief Wes Snyder said.

The firearms were confiscated from crime scenes and criminal investigations over several years. It has been at least five years since the city has had a firearms sale, officials said.

Carroll said only licensed firearms dealers can bid on the weapons at the auction. License holders already have gone through a background check. Otherwise, buyers will be able to buy as few or as many as they wish.

The firearms range from well-known brands such as Smith and Wesson and Ruger to lesser-known names such as Iver Johnson.

The sale will take place in the Cleveland Police Department conference room, and it will be advertised 30 days in advance.

The revenue will be used by the city police department to purchase weapons.

The neighboring McMinn County Sheriff's Department held a gun sale in April to raise money for that department. According to McMinn Sheriff Joe Guy, hundreds came to that sale in Etowah.