Are police allowed to check a guns serial # in the NCIC system without having the gun already in possession?

[Harry]

I remember reading somewhere that a cop can't check the NCIC system to see if a gun is stolen unless the gun is in his hands because if it comes back as stolen, he has to take it into custody. I may be wrong. Anyway, some guy traded his Baby Eagle for a stolen Glock and was letting everyone in our Facebook group to beware of the other guy who he traded with (he deleted his account and used false information for the private purchase).

A few folks commented saying that they "always" call in a guns serial numbers prior to purchase. It sounds like manure cultivated from a male cows posterior... I would call my local PD but I wouldn't know if they are giving me the procedure that they practice or the procedure that they are supposed to practice.
I read it on a forum @ssholes, not a comic book nor action movie.
If I believed it to be 100% true, I wouldn't be asking a question.

[Duck-Duck Goose!]

You will hear all kinds of things "Cops cannot do" but they are ALL 100% horse manure...Officers of the Law do whatever they have to to catch bad guys...

You watch far too many 1970's TV Cop shows...

Quit being so gullible.

[681]

Ahem, I had a Glock 22 2nd Generation end up found under the seat of a car I had just purchased. Now, I could have kept it and considered it a "finders keepers-losers weepers" bonus. I didn't. being an honest sort and no desire for future unforeseen BS later over that Glock? I first went to my friendly local pawn shop and had them run the serial first through the police data base. which they did so gladly. Being I am a frequent firearm buyer with them.

Police do no need the firearm in custody to check a number. They did so for the pawn shop with no hesitance. Now, had the Glock come up stolen? I would have turned it in right there. The police would have come and taken possession and a statement as to how I got it.

As it turned out? The Glock came up clean. I called the car's prior owner and arranged a mid point pick up at a relatives of his home. He having since moved WAY out of town. Which is how I ended up with the car.,He didn't want to move it to his new home. How he forgot he'd left a Glock under a seat?? Not my business--rush of events I suppose?

Now, I could have decided to still keep it. But, even with a holster and a loaded magazine? I don't like polymer hand guns and the 40 caliber isn't my cup of tea. Nor do I know the future consequences of such a dishonest act.

[Stuart]

You wrote: "...I remember reading somewhere that a cop can't check the NCIC system to see if a gun is stolen unless the gun is in his hands..."

I'd recommend reading reputable news, and leaving the comic book stuff for your entertainment instead of quoting it as reputable news.

The NCIC system is designed to be a usable, working database for police to be able to determine the status of thousands of kinds of items and people. They can certainly run a gun serial number through without having the gun in hand.

- Stuart

[Bruce]

He can check the record all he wants.

He has to have the gun in his possession to send a "hit request", or confirmation, though.