A recently released Florida Inspector General investigation in 2017 found the state failed to perform background checks on people applying for concealed weapons permits for more than a year.

The investigation concluded the checks were not performed due to log in problems.

  • Investigation pinpointed employee who could not log into FBI crime database
  • AG Commissioner: Criminal background checks completed after employee negligence discovered
  • Pulse nightclub massacre falls within timeline of improperly checked permits

The findings indicate an employee stopped doing the checks because she could not log into the FBI crime database known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.

The problem started in February 2016 when the Florida Department of Agriculture, the agency in charge of performing criminal background checks, failed to follow up on hundreds of red flags.

The issue continued for more than a year until March 2017.

Department data shows almost 350,000 applicants requested permits from the agency during that time period, and 365 came back with red flags by the FBI’s NICS.

It was these 365 applications that the employee identified in the investigation failed to review after they were flagged.

Commissioner Adam Putnam said Friday a criminal background investigation was subsequently completed on every single one of those applications.

"Upon discovery of this former employee's negligence in not conducting the further review required on 365 applications, we immediately completed full background checks on those 365 applications, which resulted in 291 revocations," he said in an email statement issued in response to a story published in the Tampa Bay Times entitled "Adam Putnam’s office stopped concealed weapons background checks for a year because it couldn’t log in."

Putnam also said the employee was fired and an investigation launched. 

Tampa Mayor Bob Buchhorn criticized Putnam on Twitter.

 

 

According to the timeline, the date of the Pulse nightclub massacre falls within the period of the improperly checked weapons permits.