TENNESSEE, USA — The director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation recently started a new 6-year term and he said he is starting it off by calling for gun owners to safely secure their firearms.
David Rausch was Knoxville's police chief until former Gov. Bill Haslam appointed him to lead the TBI as its director in 2018. Gov. Bill Lee swore Rausch back in on Monday. He will continue to serve as TBI's director until June 2028.
Rausch said around half of the guns stolen from cars and trucks are used in violent crimes. So, in the coming weeks, he said he plans to launch a statewide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of being a responsible gun owner.
"Tennessee leads the nation in firearms stolen from cars. And how many of those cars are unlocked? The vast majority," he said. "None of us want our firearms to fall in the hands of criminals."
As of June, the Knoxville Police Department reported 76 incidents where guns were stolen out of cars. It said the place to keep guns is secured inside of a person's home.
KPD said if gun owners need to leave guns inside of their cars, then they should be locked away and out of sight too. It may prevent crimes of opportunity and keep more guns from ending up being used for violence.
Police also said if a gun is stolen, the owner should report the incident to the police immediately.