Deputies marked 13% of domestic-abuse firearm-relinquishment orders complete; suburban counties: 45% to 61%

Serving court orders is among the Sheriff’s Office’s duties. Between January 2020 and June 2023, the office received notice of 10,028 protection orders requiring the surrender of weapons; deputies marked just 13% of those cases as completed, according to Pennsylvania State Police data. The four suburban collar counties completed 45% to 61% of theirs in the same period.

“They never went to his property. They never went to take his gun,” said Whitney Brown, who had obtained a protection order. Marcella Nyachogo of Lutheran Settlement House said: “You can kill someone in less than 24 hours.”

Sheriff Bilal requested 72 hours to answer the Inquirer’s questions, then declined to comment.