San Mateo County supervisors commit $600,000 to disarm individuals deemed dangerous
San Mateo County, California – San Mateo County supervisors announced the expansion of a vital project aiming at disarming people considered to be dangerous to the community in a major step towards battle of gun violence. Responsible for the seizure of 461 weapons including pistols, rifles, and shotguns, the Gun Relinquishment Task Force has gotten a strong financial support of $600,000 to keep running through November 2026.
This money increase emphasizes the county’s dedication to safety and the implementation of California’s strict, among the strictest firearms regulations in the nation. Under the direction of Supervisors Dave Pine and Noelia Corzo, this program seeks those lawfully forbidden from owning weapons because of felony charges or civil restraining orders.
“Everyone deserves to live free from the fear of gun violence,” said Supervisor Dave Pine, who sponsored the funding request with Supervisor Noelia Corzo. “California has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. But those laws alone cannot protect vulnerable people from someone with easy access to a gun. This program will save lives.”
The urgency of the task force’s mission was highlighted by Supervisor Corzo during a recent Board of Supervisors meeting.
“I’ve been to several domestic violence death review team meetings. They are always difficult and there will always be cases where removing guns was not enough. But I feel really strongly that without this program, and you doing the work, we would have more of those meetings,” Corzo said.
California law requires anyone under specific restraining orders to turn in their weapons—either to law police or to a registered dealer. Historically, lack of resources has made it difficult to enforce these rules. The recently obtained money will support the cooperative efforts of the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Superior Court, and local police agencies to guarantee proper application of these statutes.
Chief Inspector Bill Massey of the District Attorney’s Office emphasized the importance of coordination among law enforcement agencies.
“The courts report five days a week all of the court orders where people are prohibited,” Massey said. “The DA’s office has engagement with our detectives within 24 hours of the prohibition, often times much sooner than that. The engagement can be anywhere from simply a reminder about turning in your firearms to more aggressive, higher-risk prohibitions where we seek search warrants or court orders.”
Initiated in March 2022 following a forum hosted by Pine and the late Supervisor Don Horsley, the task force has shown success. Attended by state Attorney General Rob Bonta and other experts, the event sought to close legal gaps and so prepare the ground for the formation of the task force. Starting in October 2022, the task force has helped 260 pistols, 139 rifles, and 62 shotguns to be relinquished or seized.
Colleagues and community members both have praised Supervisor Pine’s efforts to lower gun crime as he gets ready to depart his position after three years. Supervisor Corzo praised Pine’s leadership and her honor to carry on this important work.
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“This program is intimately tied to the advances we are trying really hard to make in domestic violence prevention and I’m honored to pick up the baton and make sure this program continues – and continues to keep our residents safe,” Corzo said.
