Crime & Safety

Should Police Have the Right to Inspect That Guns are Properly Secured?

Does the upside of knowing that household guns are properly secured outweigh the obvious risks to civil liberties?

By Terry Date and Chris Helms

In school shootings around the country, guns have been taken from parents and used by kids. Nationwide, one study showed that in 43 percent of homes where guns were present, those weapons were kept in an unlocked place.

Since state law requires Massachusetts gun owners to keep their firearms locked away or rendered inoperable, one North Shore selectman is floating the idea that police should have the right to inspect that guns are properly secured.

Swampscott's Barry Greenfield made the proposal Wednesday. He said he hopes the discussion will lead to the safeguarding of guns in his town — keeping them out of the hands of children.

The problem, Greenfield said, is that police do not have the authority, granted by a local ordinance, to enforce the law and inspect the safeguarding of guns at the homes of the 600 registered gun owners in town.

Another Swampscott selectman, Glenn Kessler, said he would like to see all the interested parties including the police chief, the town's legal counsel and citizens talk about the issue before selectmen take action.

There are civil liberty matters to consider, he said.

Selectmen took no action but appeared interested in hosting a discussion on the gun inspection proposal.

What's your take? Does the upside of knowing that household guns are properly secured outweigh the obvious risks to civil liberties?


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