Austin Police Department-issued firearms will be more difficult to find in the public market following Austin City Council action on Thursday to end the practice of selling or trading old firearms to licensed gun dealers. In 2016 the Austin Police Department, with City Council approval, traded 1,788 .40 caliber pistols back to its gun dealer and police estimate that over 1,100 may have been sold back to the public. Although officials said such practice is uncommon, City Council said it should never happen again. Council members unanimously approved a new policy on Thursday, which states that unless an old gun is sold back directly to current Austin peace officers, then it should be destroyed. Peace officers include Austin police officers and Austin Fire Department arson investigators. “This is really important, we have an epidemic of gun violence in our society,” said the policy’s sponsor, District 10 Council Member Alison Alter. Alter acknowledged the policy would result in a microscopic reduction in gun availability in Texas, but stressed the importance of Austin’s elected officials doing what they could to help the larger issue of gun violence. The Austin Police Department currently contracts with the Houston-based Bailey’s Firearm Country Inc., for firearm purchase, trade and sale. According to a letter from Austin’s Assistant Police Chief Troy Gay, the 2016 trade saved the department $368,328. Thursday’s action immediately terminates the contract provision that would allow for trades and sellbacks. The police department can still purchase its firearms from the gun dealer. For more background on the policy, check our story from earlier in the week.