Bi-annual summits are key to the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Foundation’s ongoing educational work. In June 2018, we hosted our first summit in Seattle on the intersection of gun violence and domestic violence, bringing together law enforcement, advocates, and other stakeholders for an in-depth look at guns and domestic violence.
That summit was so successful we took the show on the road and hosted a second domestic violence and firearms summit, this time in Spokane, on November 14, 2018. This event, held at Gonzaga University School of Law, was our first summit in Eastern Washington and brought together practitioners from Spokane County to discuss disarming domestic violence in Washington state.
Major Tapp-Harper from the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office gave the keynote address. She spoke in detail about the Sheriff’s Office’s domestic violence unit and their procedures for securing firearms in domestic violence situations.
Representatives from the Regional Domestic Violence Firearms Enforcement Unit (RDVFEU) gave an in-depth look at the intersection of gun violence and domestic violence in Seattle and King County.
Members of the RDVFEU also participated in a panel discussion where they outlined their unique model and detailed their work enforcing firearm surrenders and protection orders.
Finally, two break out sessions led by King County Prosecutor Kim Wyatt and Sergeant Eric Pisconski, both members of the RDVFEU, led a deep dive into the implementation of Extreme Risk Protection Orders.
Passing stronger gun laws is just the first step toward reducing gun violence. Ensuring those laws are effectively implemented is crucial to reducing gun deaths. We hope this summit helped inform stakeholders and set them up to better understand and take advantage of our state’s lifesaving laws.