Notes
Several Gun, Pawn Shops Using LeadsOnline Respond to Twin Falls Dispute. By Greg Pruett, Idaho Dispatch (09/02/24)
Previous Note: substack.com/@bige47/note/c-67240394
This Note summarizes a follow-up article in Idaho Dispatch…
idahodispatch.com/several-gun-pawn-shop…
Idaho Dispatch contacted several pawn or gun shops that use LeadsOnline for feedback about the dispute between Twin Falls police and two gun shops that refuse to use the program.
The LeadsOnline program, primarily used for pawn shops, stores information on secondhand items brought into stores. Most cities using LeadsOnline require personal information about the customer and information about the item purchased by the pawn shop. This includes second hand firearms.
Idaho Dispatch contacted the following stores before Attorney General Raul Labrador’s office had responded to Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld citing Idaho Code 18-3326A, which prohibits local governments from keeping lists of guns or gun owners.
Red’s Trading Post in Twin Falls
Patriot Pawn and Gun in Star
Guns n’ Gear in Idaho Falls
All stores were asked same questions about their use of LeadsOnline:
Does LeadsOnline violate Idaho’s firearm preemption statute — Idaho Code 18-3302(J) — which prohibits cities from regulating firearms’ sale, transfer, or possession. (IC 18-3302(J) was one of the main statutes gun groups said LeadsOnline was violating by police tracking the data from secondhand firearm sales.)
Does the store inform customers about their information going into LeadsOnline?
Would the store use the program if it were not required?
Responses varied depending on the store being contacted, with Guns N Gear not responding. Of those who responded some were unsure whether LeadsOnline violated IC 18-3302(J), all informed customers about their information going into LeadsOnline (or said customers knew information was being collected), and some stores would not use the program unless required. All felt that LeadsOnline was useful for tracking and recovering stolen property.
