WHEREAS, local and state law enforcement agencies often have access to a wider range of background records than those that are currently available to the National Instant Check System (NICS); and

WHEREAS, as a result of this additional information, decisions on approval of record checks for the purchase of firearms are best made closest to the point of sale; and

WHEREAS, several states now serve as Point of Contact (POC) states, meaning that they perform the background checks for firearms purchases in their states; and

WHEREAS, the high cost of performing this operation and lack of federal support for these efforts is placing a strain on the budgets of the agencies performing these checks; and

WHEREAS, without federal support, POC states will be forced to either charge their citizens a fee for the performance of background checks or end their participation as a POC state; and

WHEREAS, as a result it is possible an individual who would be denied at the state level may receive a purchase approval under the NICS system; and

WHEREAS, the possibility of prohibited persons purchasing firearms poses a public safety risk to citizens; and

WHEREAS; Attorney General Janet Reno recognizes the difficulties faced by POC states and has made efforts to secure federal funding assistance for POC states; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police urges Attorney General Reno to continue her efforts to secure federal funding assistance for Point of Contact States; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to Attorney General Janet Reno and to the Appropriation Committees of the U.S. Congress.