In the first such accounting, Homeland Security officers lost nearly 200 weapons in bowling alleys, restrooms, unlocked cars and other unsecure areas from fall 2005 through 2008, USA TODAY's Thomas Frank reports. At least 15 guns ended up in the hands of gang members, criminals, drug users and teenagers.
The report, by Inspector General Richard Skinner, said most weapons were never found. They included hand guns, shotguns and military rifles.
He documented 289 missing firearms, though some were lost after Hurricane Katrina and others were stolen from safes.
DHS has disciplined some offenders and beefed up training.
CNN writes that 179 guns -- 74% of the total -- were lost "because officers did not properly secure them," the report said.
DHS had nearly 190,000 weapons in its inventory as of last summer, the report said. Most are assigned to Customs and Border Protection and ICE officers.
Though the number of lost guns is a tiny fraction, any lost weapon "is a very serious matter," said Hubert Williams, president of the Police Foundation, a think tank on law enforcement issues. "It reflects the competence of the officer."
Read the full report here.
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