Crime & Safety

Napa Gun Safety Day is Saturday, Oct. 26

Event will include free, no-questions-asked firearms disposal.

 

Gun owners, potential gun owners and those who are interested in finding out more about gun safety and regulations can attend the inaugural Napa County Gun Safety Day on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free event, hosted by Napa Common Sense Gun Safety, will take place at 1539 First St., between Napa City Hall and the City of Napa Police Department building.

Napa Common Sense Gun Safety is a grassroots group of about 25 county residents who are interested in making the world a safer place. The group approached local law enforcement agencies with the idea for the event.

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The Napa County Sheriff’s Office will provide gun safety instruction and gun safety literature for use in schools and at public events, as well as free gun locks for the first 300 attendees. Napa County Health and Human Services will offer mental health and suicide prevention information. Congressman Mike Thompson will be on hand at 10 a.m. to provide an update on H.R. 1565, his bipartisan legislation to strengthen and expand the existing background check system.

“On the heels of the Washington Navy Yard tragedy, and others that preceded it, including Columbine and Newtown, we felt we had to do something in our community to help inform residents about the importance of gun safety and responsible firearm ownership,” said David Campbell of Napa Common Sense Gun Safety. “We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with the City of Napa Police Department and Napa County Sheriff’s Office to help us get this message out to the community.”

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In addition, those who wish to safely dispose of any firearm or ammunition may do so at the event; the service is voluntary, anonymous and free.  Law enforcement personnel will be on hand to receive the firearms and ammunition in the City of Napa Police Department parking lot. Please transport your unloaded firearms and ammunition in the trunk of your vehicle.

The Napa County Sheriff’s Office provides a year-round firearm turn-in service. Call (707) 253-4440 to schedule a pick up. The Napa Police Department also accepts firearms throughout the year. Gun owners who call the Department at (707) 257-9223 can make arrangements to turn in their unwanted firearms.

“We find that many people have a firearm in their possession that they do not necessarily need or want,” explained Napa County Sheriff John Robertson. “Often it is a family member’s gun that was left behind, or it may be a weapon in a home that is experiencing a crisis. Suicide accounts for the majority of firearm deaths in Napa County, so removing unwanted guns may help prevent suicides in the future. We will come out to retrieve that firearm with a simple phone call to our office.”

Funds are needed to produce educational materials, and to provide tables for the presenters. To make a donation to the event or find out more about Napa Common Sense Gun Safety, e-mail the group at commonsensegunsafety@gmail.com.



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