YAZOO CITY, Miss. (WJTV) – A judge is clarifying an initiative announced by Yazoo City police about the confiscation of weapons found on minors.

Police Chief Kenneth Hampton previously said any gun found in possession of a minor would be confiscated by the police department, regardless of who owns it. The gun wouldn’t be released once confiscated, either. This was announced in an effort to keep guns out the hands of minors.

The Yazoo Herald reported Youth Court Judge Betsy Cotton said Hampton doesn’t have the authority to do that. She said if a gun is found in possession of a minor, it’s seized and put into evidence. If it’s not registered, the weapon stays in evidence until the proper court procedures.

Additionally, she said a weapon is to be returned to a parent if it was found on a minor without their knowledge. However, that depends on repeat offenses.