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City Council considers gun ordinance
Law would require residents to report lost or stolen firearms
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More from Local NewsUPDATE/CORRECTION: The council voted to introduce the ordinance, and that was approved. The ordinance must be brought back to the council for two more readings. Then if it is approved, it is final.
Gun owners in Simi Valley may be required by law to report lost or stolen firearms if an new ordinace is approved. The City Council voted Monday to consider the ordinance proposed by the chief of police.
The ordinance must be brought back to the council for two more readings. If approved, the new rules would give residents 72 hours to report the loss or theft of a firearm to police. It would also require anyone who has lost or had a firearm stolen within the past five years to report it.
Police Chief Mike Lewis described the ordinance as "a proactive approach" to crime prevention.
He said he supported the measure because it would give officers "the opportunity to do more community awareness of firearms and safety."
Although gun crime is "not a heavy problem" in Simi Valley, Lewis said, his officers do recover stolen firearms from time to time. He said the ordinance will help authorities identify "straw purchasers" — people who buy firearms for those who cannot legally own or buy a gun.
Simi Valley is the latest in a number of cities to adopt this kind of law. Similar policies are already in place in Thousand Oaks, West Hollywood and Los Angeles. The Port Hueneme City Council is set to vote next month on a similar ordinance.
At Monday's meeting, Councilwoman Barbra Williamson questioned the need for the retroactive portion of the proposal, asking the police chief if people are "really going to come forward if their firearm was lost or stolen three, four or five years ago."
Lewis said the Police Department "wouldn't use it as a tool to strike back at someone who's trying to obey the law."
The ordinance makes failure to report the loss or theft of a firearm a misdemeanor, which can carry a fine or jail time. It goes into effect in one month.
Posted by gbcps12 on July 25, 2007 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some people own fire arms and never look at them. What happens if a gun that was stolen is used in a crime and the owner doesn't know it was stolen? Does he get charged? Maby the fact that he even owned a gun is enough to charge him. After all even if the owner knows the gun was stolen all he has to do is say he didn't know about it. In my USA it would be up to the athorities to prove otherwise. That would be impossible.
Posted by sslocal on July 25, 2007 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the idea is to have so many laws on the books that the average man cannot go a full day without breaking at least one.
When will we have people that will seek to enhance freedom not take it away?
Posted by Skullcracker on July 25, 2007 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Although I do agree that stolen firearms should be reported as you would anything else that was stolen. I fail to see how this law will prevent crime or reduce it. On day people will grasp the understanding that criminals by their very nature will not follow laws. That is why we call them criminals. Any firearm law you create will only punish law abiding people. To me this is just another "feel good to keep my political butt in office". Does absolutly nothing what so ever. You want to reduce violent crime. Then try this. Follow Kennisaw Ga example. Make it madatory that all law abiding citizens have atleast one firearm in their office and that they know how to use it safely. Let them lawfully carry that weapon. And crime will go else where. I find it annoyingly funny that in cities that have pro-gun laws or allow thier citizens to carry and what not. That crime drastically drops. Yet in cities that do the opposite, Crime is really high. This has been prooven time and time again. On day someone will comprehend that. Until then the status quo will remain the same or get worse.
Posted by Skullcracker on July 25, 2007 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry for the repost, I didnt like the way it had turned out.
Although I do agree that stolen firearms should be reported as you would anything else that was stolen. I fail to see how this law will prevent crime or reduce it. One day people will grasp the understanding that criminals by their very nature will not follow laws. That is why we call them criminals. Any firearm law you create will only punish law abiding people. To me this is just another "feel good to keep my political butt in office" law. Does absolutly nothing what so ever. You want to reduce violent crime. Then try this. Follow Kennisaw Ga example. Make it madatory that all law abiding citizens have atleast one firearm in their office or home and that they know how to use it safely. Let them lawfully carry that weapon. And crime will go else where. I find it annoyingly funny that in cities that have pro-gun laws or allow thier citizens to carry and what not. That crime drastically drops. Yet in cities that do the opposite, Crime is really high. This has been prooven time and time again. Also the county should look up Project Exile. It does wonders aginst crime. On day someone will comprehend that. Until then the status quo will remain the same or get worse.
Posted by HandsOffMyGuns on July 25, 2007 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My sympathies to you gun owners in the People's Republic of California. I'll tell you what I'd do if I lived down there. I'd suddently "lose" ALL of my guns and report them immediately. The law only requires that you report them lost, it doesn't require you to report them found. These type of laws won't do any good to track down criminals or prevent any crime but it will create some new criminals and waste a lot of taxpayer money in the process.
JUSTICE: reason cannot be applied here because it has already been excised from this law completely. Of course you can expect to be charged even if you never knew your gun was lost/stolen. They have to arrest SOMEBODY after a crime and hell, if you're the easiest one to track down then tough luck for you. Whether you get charged or not is completely at the discretion of the prosecutor but make no mistake about it, they would have every right to charge you if they want to. And since you didn't report your gun lost/stolen they might just charge you with the original crime as well.
Posted by AnnaWhaat on July 25, 2007 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gbcps12 ,you took the words right out of my mouth !
Posted by rickcanyon on July 25, 2007 at 7:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When the police chiefs write the laws, what you have is a police state. The law that makes a criminal out of a victim who has lost a gun from theft or otherwise, is unconstitutional on so many levels, it is pathetic. Is there nobody in Simi Valley who has at least passing familiarity with the United States Constitution? A first year law student in court can knock that outrage out of the park.
Rick Canyon, Santa Clarita, CA
Posted by littlepowers on July 26, 2007 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It would prevent a gun owner from getting in trouble if his stolen gun is used in a crime. (assuming that he reported it)
People should be aware of the existence of their firearms and their location.
I'm indecisive on the ordinance that they have placed here.
Posted by wiener on July 27, 2007 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was very disappointed in the Council's actions in passing this ordinance. I spoke at the Council meeting in opposition, and I made the following points:
It doesn’t specify what information must be provided to the police. Many gun owners don’t know the serial numbers or other identifying information about their firearms. How does it help the police if the person says his gun was stolen but all he remembers is that it was a .38 caliber revolver?
The staff report gave as a justification that this would identify “straw purchasers” who purchase firearms and then transfer them to those who cannot legally own or purchase a firearm on their own. But the ordinance says nothing about selling or giving away firearms, it only deals with lost or stolen firearms. This was an attempt to invent a rationalization for this law -- It was in fact a "straw man" argument.
Pointing to similar ordinances in West Hollywood and Los Angeles is hardly a good argument. If anything, I'd prefer that Simi Valley do just the opposite of anything Los Angeles does; we'd have a much better chance of getting it right.
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