Gun Registry Bill Clears Prince George's Council
The legislation is set to take effect at the end of July.
The Prince George's County Council unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that will require residents convicted of gun crimes to be placed on a special registry and submit to random visits by police.
County Executive Rushern Baker has said he plans to sign the legislation, which will take effect at the end of July.
The bill is aimed at improving safety on county streets, where police say a high number of people are illegally carrying firearms. Last year, 64 people were fatally shot in the county and hundreds more wounded.
“At the end of the day, what this county is going to see is a reduction in crime,” Barry L. Stanton, the county's deputy chief administrative officer for public safety, told the Washington Post.
Opponents of the bill—including Prince George's NAACP head Bob Ross, who spoke during Tuesday's brief public hearing—have argued that the registry is unconstitutional.
Robert Wickline
11:28 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
They are already placed on a special registry it's called convicted felons. This is another useless gun bill which is already covered by other laws. We don't need more gun laws, we need a judicial system that will enforce the laws that are already on the books with stiff penalties.
Robert Wickline
11:31 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
If they are convicted of gun crimes then law enforcement should be visiting them in jail not at their homes. They should be in jail!
Pachacutec
3:40 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I agree completely. I'm not a "gun fan" myself, but I can't see where more laws will do any good if the courts keep putting criminals back on the streets. What is needed is longer sentences or, if the crime warrants, execution of violent criminals. Too, this type of gun registry has the same flaw as the sex ofender registry; unless the perp is kept under 24/7 visual surveillance, he's still free to find new victims.
Emil Farkwarp
1:21 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The police must not be given this sort of unchecked power over ANYONE, even ex-cons.