One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Dear L.A. Gun Owners: The City Attorney Wants to Remind You of A Few Laws
In this Dec. 2007 photo, guns are collected by the LA County Sheriff's Department in a similar gift card "exchange" program as the LAPD's Buyback program (Photo by Sundogg via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Gun owners in Los Angeles can expect to hear from Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich soon reminding you of all the laws you agreed to abide by when you bought your firearm. Well, assuming you bought your firearm legally.
Trutanich says he and California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck will be making use of the state AG's office's database of registered gun owners to send out a letter in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting rampage, according to the Daily News.
Says Trutanich:
"The letters confirm the responsibility to report the transfer, sale, loss or theft of a firearm to the state Department of Justice. Our goal is to make sure that gun owners know that they must store their guns safely, keep them locked up and away from children and, if the gun is to be sold or it is stolen, the sale must be reported."
Of course, some Angelenos may recall that Trutanich has been unfavorably linked with the National Rifle Association in past political efforts:
In his 2009 campaign against former Councilman Jack Weiss, Trutanich was repeatedly criticized for the involvement of his former law firm with the National Rifle Association and a letter sent out by the NRA Victory Fund urging voters to support Trutanich.
Speaking of stances on gun control and campaigns, Trutanich is already slogging a hard road to re-election in 2013, and one of his prime opponents, former Assemblyman Mike Feuer, "has been speaking out about the need for stronger gun control laws."
Sponsored message
On the off chance you did not come to obtain your gun(s) by following the letter of the law, if you'd prefer to spend a hundred bucks (or two) at Ralphs than keep that illicit firearm stashed in your closet, you may want to head to the two venues where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is holdinga second gun buyback event this year on December 26.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
