“Thomas Chittum, a former ATF official and a University of Nevada-Las Vegas adjunct law professor, said the relationship between federal authorities and gun sellers should be more cooperative than adversarial.
‘The reality is there are red flags that authorities will never see on paperwork,’ Chittum said, stressing the need for sellers’ input.
He added, ‘Most of them are responsible business owners who realize they have a vested interest in keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.’”
Lindsay Whitehurst and Claudia Lauer wrote a thorough story about straw purchases for The AP. They flattered me by including my two cents about the important role that gun stores play in detecting and preventing these crimes. They also quote my friend and former ATF colleague, Marianna Mitchem. The whole piece highlights the importance of having an effective training and compliance program.