State computer breakdown forces two-day gun-sale halt

Thursday, June 17, 1999 | 11:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A glitch in the state's computer system kept Nevada gun dealers cooling their heels for two days before they could sell their firearms.

But things returned to normal Wednesday in the state agency that handles background checks on those who want to buy guns.

Dennis Debacco, program manager of the state Records and Identification Services, said Wednesday a major upgrade of the law enforcement computer system was scheduled for last weekend. It was planned for Sunday and the computer was supposed to be up and running Monday afternoon.

"We turned the switch and it didn't work," Debacco said. "There were glitches to the new software and it took longer than anticipated," to convert the system.

The federal Brady Law requires gun dealers, before selling a firearm, to contact the state for the background of the prospective purchaser. The seller calls Debacco's agency, which checks the computer for any criminal records on the buyer. If there's no record, the answer to the dealer is given within 2 minutes in 80 percent of the cases.

In the remaining 20 percent of the inquiries, the answer takes anywhere from one hour to two days because the purchaser may have offenses that would disqualify him from buying a gun.

Debacco said a computer backup system didn't work because it doesn't have the capacity to serve both law enforcement agencies and take of care of the checks on gun purchasers.

"We were only able to maintain service to law enforcement agencies. The cop on the street needs to have this information," he said.

About 350 gun purchases were affected by the delay. "They (the dealers and the purchasers) can live with two days (delay)," he said.

Usually the agency processes about 100 requests for background checks on Sunday and 250 daily. "Whatever the backlog, it will be cleared by today (Wednesday)," he said.

He said the system is operating at its former speed.

The change-over in the computer system had been scheduled for Saturday, Debacco said, but operators of a major gun show in Reno asked that the agency be on call Saturday to check the backgrounds of those buying weapons.