San Rafael, CA – Marin County District Attorney Lori E. Frugoli has launched a multidisciplinary collaborative to promote firearm safety in Marin County.
The new collaborative will advise local gun owners where to obtain free gun locks through law enforcement agencies.The new Marin Gun Safety Collaborative is a committee of residents and stakeholders who will focus on encouraging and promoting responsible gun ownership, gun dealer responsibility, and the enforcement of firearm prohibitions.
“The intent of this program is to enhance public safety by educating our community about the impact of guns on our community," Frugoli said.
One of the first priorities will be education about the dangers of unlocked guns in the home. The public will be advised where to obtain free gun locks through law enforcement agencies. Further efforts to promote gun safety will include creating awareness of gun violence restraining orders; and future gun buy-back programs.
The collaborative is Frugoli’s response to a 2020 Marin County Civil Grand Jury report that concluded more needs to be done to inform Marin residents about the safety benefits of storing guns safely, in accordance with law and common sense.
The Civil Grand Jury found:
- Marin faces the threats of all communities with guns in their homes:gun suicide, accidental shootings, domestic violence, gun theft and school shootings
- There are about 100,000 firearms in Marin homes and vehicles
- Firearms are the second leading cause of death by suicide in Marin
- Access to a gun increases the risk of suicide by 300% for all those living in the home
Simply locking guns unloaded and apart from ammunition could seriously reduce accidental shootings, domestic violence, suicide, school shootings and gun theft.
The Marin Gun Safety Collaborative includes representatives from mental health and health care providers, including the Suicide Prevention Collaborative; the Marin Interfaith Council; the Marin City Ministerial Alliance; the Marin County Cooperation Team; members of law enforcement; and the advocacy organizations Brady United and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.