Lake County soon may be served by Indiana Crime Guns Task Force

Indiana’s Crime Guns Task Force, which tracks and removes illegal firearms, may soon expand to include Lake County. The House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety unanimously approved a bill to extend the task force’s jurisdiction, adding two new board members from Northwest Indiana, reported NWI.com

Sponsored by Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), the legislation aims to reduce gun violence in cities like Gary, East Chicago, and Hammond. In 2024, the task force investigated 150 leads, made 232 arrests, and seized over 270 illegal firearms and 75,000 grams of narcotics.

Harris emphasized that while gun crime trends in Lake County are improving, the task force’s expansion would help residents feel safer. The full House is expected to vote on the bill next week before it moves to the Senate and potentially to Gov. Mike Braun for approval.