BSO: "Operation Bullseye" Takes Dozens Of Felons & Guns Off The Street
MIAMI (CBS4) - The Broward Sheriff's Office is taking aim against felons carrying weapons.
It's part of their continuing crackdown dubbed, 'Operation Bullseye.' At a news conference Thursday Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti showed off a table full of guns that had been confiscated in the recent sweep.
From March to May, the gun squad arrested 31 felons and 30 guns were confiscated.
Sheriff Lamberti said last year BSO took 257 illegal guns off the streets. So far this year that number is up to 137.
One of those arrested in the current sweep is only 18 years old. BSO said the teen, Tony Velez, had a glock and shotgun in his possession.
The sheriff used him as an example to illustrate the widespread use of illegal guns.
"80 percent of crime is committed by 20 percent of the people," noted Lamberti.
The head of the gun squad Sgt. Ted Taranu says getting the guns off the streets makes everyone safer.
"People who are convicted of a crime have access to weapons. They use them for other crimes and sometimes they put them in the hands of other criminals," said Sgt. Taranu. "It's a risk to the community and law enforcement."
Sheriff Lamberti boasts this program doesn't cost a dime. They re-assign deputies temporarily to the gun squad.
"We are tracking every firearm in the county. We are doing ballistics on every weapon we recover. We are able to close old homicides based on firearms we recover.
"If you know where there's an illegal firearm, call Crime Stoppers, (954) 493-TIPS. It's worth one hundred dollars. And if we make an arrest you could get $1000 dollars," said the Sheriff.
