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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is now participating in a federal data base that keeps track of Utahns who have been deemed mentally incompetent by the court system, from buying guns.
Until recently, the state kept track of this information on its own but did not share it.
"Now they will gather the information so everyone has the same information when it becomes available," said Dwayne Baird of the Utah Department of Public Safety. "That is correct."
Police officers and federal agents must go through a stringent hiring process that includes a psychological examination as well as having proper firearm training and receiving a background check. Many feel that citizens should pass these same requirements before purchasing a gun, and that the federal data base is a step in the right direction.
Baird says that the Utah Department of Public Safety will continue to update the federal data base as Utah courts pass down the information.
