Chicago Police: More than 6,200 illegal guns seized so far in 2014

Chicago Police have seized more than 6,000 illegal guns since the start of the year, the department announced Monday.

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said 6,252 guns have been seized so far this year, a statement from the department said. Last year, the department seized more than 6,500 guns.

The high number of seizures highlights “the public safety challenge posed by illegal weapons and the need for stronger legislation to stem the flow of illegal firearms on the street,” McCarthy said in the statement.

“Every year Chicago Police recover more illegal guns than officers in any city in the country, a result of lax federal and state laws.”

He said police have “made important progress in reducing crime and violence in Chicago, yet there’s much more work to be done and the flow of illegal guns from other cities and other states continues to pose a serious challenge.”

The announcement was made at the latest police recruit graduation Monday morning at Navy Pier, where McCarthy and Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomed a class of 105 recruits, according to police.

The class includes 32 officers who have served in the military, and 16 who represent a new generation of officers in their families, the statement said.