Specialized Team Focuses on Enforcing Red Flag Laws to Prevent Violence (2022)
San Diego Office of the City Attorney (San Diego, CA)
Population: 1,380,000 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 183 | Contact Information
The San Diego City Attorney’s Office (SDCA) is using California’s Red Flag Laws to prevent gun violence, before it happens, using a state law that allows law enforcement to seize weapons from individuals who have been proved a danger to themselves or others. Since 2018, SDCA has partnered with law enforcement to file and enforce over 1.000 gun violence restraining orders (GVRO).
The program relies on a specially designated team of attorneys who are on call for law enforcement at all hours of every day in order to secure emergency orders to seize guns in appropriate cases. This team also provides regular training to responding agencies and makes sure that officers understand when to request a GVRO. The team has also worked hard to educate judges and other justice system partners, so they understand the law and its relationship to violence prevention.