Representatives of three law enforcement unions Thursday will urge more local advocacy efforts to remove weapons from more than 23,200 criminals and severely mental ill persons throughout California who are prohibited from owning them.
A late-morning news conference is planned by officials from the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Association.
They will request that local government departments immediately allocate resources to assist the state Attorney General’s Office’s effort to remove weapons from the thousands of individuals identified in the State Armed and Prohibited Persons System.
Currently, only 50 agents in the entire state are assigned to contact more than 23,200 criminals and severely mentally ill identified in the APPS system to confiscate weapons they are prohibited from possessing.
“We can make California safer if we remove guns from those who are prohibited by law from having them and providing public safety officers with training on best practices to manage mental health crisis situations,” said Ron Hernandez, president of ALADS
“Simultaneous to removing these weapons from criminals and the severely mentally ill, passage of SB 230 will provide standardized mental health crisis training for peace officers,” Hernandez said. “This will improve outcomes when law enforcement interacts with the community and reduce uses of force.”