Marin County Grand Jury
• 2015-2016
2015/2016 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Police Firearm Security Keeping Police Guns out of the Hands of Criminals
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 8 findings
F1
Firearms left in unattended vehicles are vulnerable to theft and, if stolen, are in the hands of criminals.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should install lock boxes in all department vehicles and require that in the event it is necessary to leave a firearm in a vehicle, the firearm be secured in the lock box.
F2
Firearms belonging to Marin County peace officers have been stolen from their vehicles, although the incidence is low.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
There is currently no public tracking of lost or stolen firearms from Marin County peace officers, making the number of firearms missing difficult to determine.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should track and record all firearms that have been lost or stolen from law enforcement and personal vehicles.
R2
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should make public the number and circumstances of all firearms that have been lost or stolen from law enforcement and personal vehicles.
F4
With the exception the Fairfax Police Department, Marin County Police Departments and the Sheriff's Office have not amended or updated their policies in response to high profile reports of law enforcement guns being stolen from vehicles.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should update their policies and procedures regarding firearm security, particularly with regard to firearms left in unattended vehicles (departmental and personal) and if a firearm is left in a vehicle, how it is to be secured.
F5
Most Marin County Police and Sheriff’s Departments do not have a clear-cut policy and/or procedure specifying how firearms are to be secured if left in an unattended vehicle.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should update their policies and procedures regarding firearm security, particularly with regard to firearms left in unattended vehicles (departmental and personal) and if a firearm is left in a vehicle, how it is to be secured.
F6
Neither the general topic of firearm security nor a specific letter from the SF Chief has been discussed at Marin County Police Chief's Association meetings. The view commonly expressed by the law enforcement executives is that it is a “common sense” responsibility and understood as such by deputies and officers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Marin County Sheriff and all Police Chiefs should discuss the issue of firearm security including storage, tracking and reporting of lost or stolen firearms at Marin County Police Chief Association meetings and make a recommendation as to whether there should be a standard county policy for leaving a law enforcement firearm in a vehicle.
F7
Concern for public safety has led to proposed State and some recent local legislation (in San Francisco and Oakland) requiring that firearms be secured in all unattended vehicles.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
Specifically designed lock boxes are readily available for safely securing firearms inside a vehicle, should a gun and vehicle need to be left unattended.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Police Departments should install lock boxes in all department vehicles and require that in the event it is necessary to leave a firearm in a vehicle, the firearm be secured in the lock box.