A federal investigation into weapons dealing by officers in three Sacramento-area law enforcement agencies shines a light on a California law that allows peace officers to buy guns, high-capacity magazines and even assault weapons that are illegal for the general public, the Associated Press reports. Officers must only show law enforcement credentials to buy ammunition clips that exceed the usual 10-round limit and handguns that are not available to others.
Their police chief or sheriff can give them permission to buy an assault weapon or avoid the standard 10-day waiting period for buying a gun and undergoing a background check. No statewide data are available to show the extent of the practice, what weapons officers are buying or why they need them. Policies on applying the law vary widely among law enforcement agencies.