(a) Whenever a law enforcement agency seizes a firearm in connection with a criminal arrest or pursuant to a search warrant without an arrest or otherwise recovers a firearm, such agency shall forthwith take all appropriate steps to identify and trace the history of such firearm.

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(b) In complying with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a law enforcement agency shall use the National Tracing Center of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Such law enforcement agency shall immediately transmit to the National Tracing Center, by facsimile or by entering such information on the Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communications Teleprocessing (COLLECT) System when said system becomes available for transmitting such information directly to the National Tracing Center, all information necessary to comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall take appropriate action to allow the COLLECT System to be used by law enforcement agencies in complying with the provisions of this section.

(d) Whenever a firearm is identified and is determined to have been stolen, the law enforcement agency shall return such firearm, and any ammunition seized or recovered with such firearm that is determined to be stolen, to the rightful owner thereof, provided such owner is not prohibited from possessing such firearm or ammunition and such agency does not need to retain such firearm or ammunition as evidence in a criminal prosecution.