(a) Whenever a law-enforcement agency seizes or recovers a firearm that was unlawfully possessed, used for any unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, is reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime, or is acquired by the agency as an abandoned or discarded firearm, the agency shall:
- (1) Transmit and receive information relating to that firearm with the National Crime Information Center System;
- (2) Transmit and receive information relating to that firearm to the United States Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives E-Trace System; and
- (3) Arrange for every such firearm to be test-fired as soon as may be practicable and the results of that test-firing be forthwith submitted to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network to determine whether the firearm is associated or related to a crime, criminal event, or any individual associated or related to a crime or criminal event or reasonably believed to be associated or related to a crime or criminal event.
- (b) Whenever a law-enforcement agency recovers any spent shell casing at a crime scene or has reason to believe that the recovered spent shell casing is related to or associated with the commission of a crime or the unlawful discharge of a firearm, the agency shall, as soon as may be practicable, submit the ballistics information to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.
- (c) The Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Department of Justice, shall develop and promulgate a statewide standard protocol for the recovery and forensic processing of firearms and firearm-related evidence where such firearm was unlawfully possessed, used for any unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, or reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime.
80 Del. Laws, c. 426, § 1