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Alameda supervisors direct counsel to draft safe‑storage ordinance after sheriff outlines ghost‑gun and unsafe‑storage concerns
Summary
County counsel described a draft ordinance to require firearms to be locked or secured when not in use; sheriff’s detectives described ghost guns and local seizures; community groups urged adoption and the board directed county counsel to prepare the ordinance and return it to the Board, with a request to evaluate a rural/ag exemption.
County counsel presented a draft unincorporated‑area ordinance on Sept. 25 that would require that firearms not in use be secured in a locked container or rendered inoperable with a trigger lock, while enumerating exceptions for lawful use, peace officers, and timely reporting of stolen firearms.
Jason Allen of the county counsel’s office said the draft requires locked storage when firearms are not in use and that "each day that the gun is stored improperly would be a separate violation" under the draft; the draft treats violations as misdemeanors. Allen added the office would evaluate how the county ordinance interacts with recently signed state laws and whether a rural/ag exemption would be feasible.
Representatives from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office’s gang suppression unit briefed the committee on local firearm‑related enforcement. A deputy identified as Jordan described a spike in illegally possessed, privately manufactured "ghost" guns and high‑capacity magazines and said the unit recovers those guns through car stops and targeted enforcement. The deputies noted that Penal Code section 25100 (criminal storage of a firearm) already provides enforcement where a child or a person prohibited from possessing firearms can access them, but said a local ordinance that applies to all households could close gaps until a new state law takes effect in 2026.
Members of Moms Demand Action and other residents urged adoption. Janie Dobbs, a local Moms Demand Action lead, said safe storage is a proven way to prevent juvenile suicides, accidental shootings and domestic thefts of guns. "One of the most effective ways to prevent suicide by gun, unintentional shootings, and school shootings is to prevent easy access to a gun," she said.
After the presentations and public comment, supervisors directed county counsel to prepare the ordinance for formal Board consideration and to evaluate a possible rural/ag exemption before bringing the item to the Board for readings.
