I disagree with you here; the State's own Constitution specifically prohibits a municipality (ore county) from regulating "in any way" the right to keep and bear arms -- and the annotated constitution shows a good precedent for including sales in that 'regulation'.
The reason that this is important is because if the Constitution is so ignored it ceases to have any meaning whatsoever; see the federal government and the US Constitution for an example of this (esp. WRT the 4th, 5th, & 2nd).
Interesting that so many people are uninterested in pursuing court challenges ~ maybe because the guns involved are less costly than a couple of hours of lawyer time.
That's the hill that's the problem ~ one suit against one cop ~ could easily bankrupt someone.
There were similar situations in Wisconsin and folks took a different course of action ~ first, they got the state law rewritten, then they went after the cops, but they did so with the backing of the major gun rights organizations.
Get your ducks lined up and then move.
New Mexico is a CCW state and holders can even defend themselves against anyone unlawfully infringing on their safety or life. I think these cops are on the wrong side and should think “carefully”. The Nuremburg trials did not accept orders as a defense.
I just want to see the FFL that the police have to conduct these turn ins. According to the 1968 GCA, any such activity, must be licensed as it is a public event where a single entity is acting as an FFL by selling or buying firearms. On top of that, the event is advertised.
There is no exemptions for this for LE or other groups. So... Why isn’t ATF jamming their jack boots down on the necks of these people engaging in the business or buying or selling firearms without an FFL???