Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
Over the last five years, reports of military and police-grade weaponry appearing in small towns with limited police forces have risen alarmingly. The first instance of someone being prosecuted for these crimes occurred in Adair, Iowa. The city’s police chief, Bradley Wendt, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Wendt was accused of abusing his position to gain access to a large supply of military and police-grade weapons, which he allegedly then sold for personal gain.
Days before his sentencing, Wendt stated, “If I’m guilty of this, every cop in the nation is going to jail.” Wendt’s statement highlights a troubling trend, as government audits have revealed at least 50 cases of police officers illegally selling weapons totaling at least 26,000 guns from 2017 to 2021.
