Written by Vincent Cain
On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to pass an ordinance requiring safe firearm storage and prohibiting the production and distribution of untraceable ‘ghost guns’ throughout the county.
Last October, Board Chairman Nathan Fletcher, and Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted in favor of the ordinance, and on Tuesday, Supervisor Nora Vargas joined the support of the measure. The two Supervisors who were opposed were Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond.
The county ordinance will revise definitions concerning firearms to include unserialized ghost guns and parts, prohibit the possession and distribution of parts without serial numbers used in the creation or possession of ghost guns, ban 3D printing of firearms and components, and require the safe storage of firearms.
According to Fletcher, the new ordinance includes the parts of the guns in the definitions, unlike state law, “because the gun parts are designed to be easily assembled and can quickly become as dangerous as a completed gun.”
Additionally, Supervisors also requested an annual report on the influence of gun violence within the county.
After the meeting, Fletcher said, “Enacting stronger safety measures for gun storage and reducing the possibility for more unregulated firearms to be distributed in our neighborhoods is another important step toward fulfilling our obligation to help protect San Diegans from unnecessary gun violence.”
While Desmond opposes ghost guns, he believes it will be ineffective as only “the good guys are gonna do that,” Desmond said. The bad guys won’t.”
In a statement after Tuesday’s meeting, Anderson said he “does not believe that the ghost gun ordinance will have a positive impact on crime, nor make our communities any safer.”
Photo Cred: San Diego Police Department
