Written by Amanda Williams
As of this week, San Diego will continue its tight gun regulation policies with the enactment of the Safe Storage of Firearms Ordinance. Created by City Attorney Mara Elliott and approved by the City Council, the ordinance officially went into effect yesterday.
The ordinance articulates that gun owners must either safely lock or stow any house firearms. The only exception to the ordinance is if the gun is being carried by or is in the direct control of the owner or other authorized handler. Mara Elliott suggested that San Diego residents go one step further and obtain trigger locks for firearms as well.
In accordance with the ordinance, there are many outlets providing free gun locks for San Diego residents. Any firearm purchased after January 1, 2002, received a complimentary gun lock. Furthermore, programs such as It’s Up to Us San Diego and Alzheimer’s San Diego are providing free gun locks to any citizens who wish to obtain one.
Residents can also go to the San Diego Police Station and receive a gun lock through Project ChildSafe. Lastly, residents can go to online retailers, gun stores, and retail stores to buy locks. All approved devices can be viewed on the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms website.
The reason behind the ordinance, according to Elliott, was to help prevent accidental shootings with children and other damages or deaths caused by firearms. Recent data has shown that only 54 percent of families keep their loaded firearms safely stored. Moreover, Elliott created the ordinance to lower the rate of suicides, especially among seniors, in San Diego. Approximately 91 percent of suicides among seniors are committed by firearms. Lastly, should a San Diego resident wish to relinquish their firearm, they can do so through the San Diego Police Department.
Yet, while the restrictions intend on improving gun safety, the strictness of the regulations is unnecessary and infringes upon Second Amendment rights. The regulations could potentially backfire due to the locks inhibiting someone utilizing their firearm in a timely manner in an urgent situation—such as a home invasion.
