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Pitkin County board discusses gun‑violence data, proposes local safe‑storage site for firearms
Summary
A board member presented national and state gun‑violence trends and proposed creating a local safe‑storage site (a secure off‑site armory/locker) to reduce unintentional shootings and facilitate temporary removal under extreme‑risk orders; the sheriff signaled support in principle.
A Pitkin County Board of Health member presented national and Colorado data on firearm deaths and proposed a practical, locally administered safe‑storage program to reduce unintentional and crisis‑related firearm injuries.
The presenter told the board that in Colorado firearms account for a disproportionate share of suicide and that nationally firearms became the leading cause of death for children and teens in recent years. The presentation reviewed several state initiatives enacted by Governor Jared Polis — including an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) expansion, a three‑day waiting period and a minimum age increase to 21 — and recent proposed legislation to further restrict certain weapons and add an excise tax on firearms and ammunition.
Proposal for an off‑site safe‑storage network As one immediate, non‑legislative intervention the presenter proposed creating a local secure gun‑storage site where residents could temporarily deposit firearms. The model discussed included county or sheriff‑managed lockers or partnerships with participating gun shops and ranges; such a site could also be used to store firearms temporarily if an ERPO (red‑flag order) is issued, the presenter said. The presenter noted statewide mapping shows a ‘‘donut hole’’ in safe‑storage sites across much of the Western Slope and that neighboring counties have such services.
Why it matters: safe, temporary storage aims to lower both unintentional injuries to children and impulsive suicide attempts by limiting immediate access to firearms.
Board discussion and practical steps Board members and attendees discussed options to supply trigger locks or cable locks free to residents, and one attendee (Tom) offered to seek MindBoard or other funding to purchase locks for distribution. The presenter said the Pitkin County sheriff expressed interest in supporting a storage site. Several board members emphasized destigmatizing storage and framing it as a harm‑reduction measure rather than an enforcement action to encourage voluntary use.
Evidence cited and limitations The presentation referenced national scholarship (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health analysis) indicating that about half of U.S. gun owners do not practice secure storage and that states with secure‑storage laws show lower adolescent unintentional shootings. The presenter stressed data limitations in small counties where low counts cause suppression of county‑level rates and that usage statistics for existing storage lockers are not uniformly reported.
Next steps The board member said they will collect more operational details from existing programs, coordinate with the sheriff’s office on feasibility and pursue funding options (locks or a locker program) for a pilot. No formal county action or funding commitment was taken at the meeting; the discussion generated support for exploring a pilot project.
