What's really disgusting is that the NOPD is one of the most corrupt police departments in the US. Ditto for the NO municipal government and the LA state government. Most high quality firearms retail for $300 and up. If those individuals get ahold of a lot of privately owned guns, it's just about assured that they'll either keep them for themselves or sell them on the black market to their gang banger buddies. Hence, most of the law abiding citizens of NO will see the guns go from the hands of law abiding citizens into the hands of criminals, causing that much more gun crime.
I asked in a previous post on this subject if they were giving receipts and tagging guns they confiscated, My thoughts were in the same direction you took.