Mercury News: Santa Clara County is state leader in using red-flag law to seize guns
Santa Clara County has become the state’s leader in using a red-flag measure that allows authorities to seize firearms from people who have exhibited threatening behavior, capping a years-long effort to cross-train local police and thwart preventable shootings.
According to report issued last week by the California Department of Justice’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, the county obtained 645 gun violence restraining orders in 2023, overtaking San Diego County, which tallied 503.
The milestone for the South Bay caps a trajectory that began with just seven order filings in 2016 — the year the accompanying law went into effect — and grew steadily as prosecutors realized the value they could have as a proactive measure amid rising gun violence across the country.
“We know this reduces gun violence,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in an interview this week. “This protects individuals during a time they are a threat to themselves or others, and when the presence of a gun is dangerous.”