Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Dave Pine, District 1
Supervisor Don Horsley, District 3
Subject: Measure K Reserves to Establish San Mateo County Gun Buy-Back Pilot Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Recommendation to:
A) Adopt a resolution authorizing up to $208,000 in Measure K Reserves to establish a San Mateo County Gun Buy-Back Pilot Program, supported by an additional $100,000 from the Sheriff's Department and at least $67,000 raised by Citizens for a San Mateo County Gun Buy Back, a local community group; and
B) Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) of $35,000 to the Sheriff's Department for staffing and logistics; and
C) Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) of $138,000 to Non-Departmental Services for contracting with Gun by Gun to distribute the incentive.
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BACKGROUND:
Firearms transactions have grown in recent years, tripling from 2007 to a peak in 2016, before leveling off by 2018 to 2019. This leveling off was short lived, with 2020 setting the record for the most handguns sold in a year.
Gun buybacks are events where individuals can turn in firearms to law enforcement, with no questions asked, and receive compensation in return. The overall goal of gun buyback programs is to reduce the number of gun deaths and injuries in a community by getting guns off the streets and making homes gun-free. Gun buyback events also provide an opportunity for the safe disposal of unwanted or unsecured firearms, especially by gun owners who would not otherwise know how to do so. Studies link deaths by firearm suicide to the number of households that contain weapons.
The County of San Mateo hosted three such successful events in 2018-2019, yielding a total of 1254 firearms collected.
As at prior San Mateo County events, individuals will be able to surrender their firearms to Sheriff's Department personnel in exchange for a cas...
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