New figures show a significant increase in action in New York to keep guns out of the hands of people who could pose a danger to themselves and others.
Statewide, 832 “extreme risk protection orders” have been issued in the past three months, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul. That’s slightly above his 1,400 over the last 20 months.
These protection orders, or red flags, prevent people showing signs of being a threat from buying or owning guns. Mandatory to apply whenever there is.
Since then, police applications have nearly doubled from 2021. Then, when lawmakers passed a sweeping gun reform package in June, that directive extended to every local law enforcement agency and district attorney in the state, as well as doctors, nurses and therapists. The governor says the aim is to prevent crime, not that it should be solved.
Ultimately, a judge will decide whether a temporary limitation should be made permanent.
On Aug. 24, the state will offer a free webinar to police departments across the state on how to better use red flag laws, from identifying unsafe behaviors to filing for one of the extreme risk protection orders. Allow the department to learn.