Cincy Reporter

On December 6, 2023, Councilmember Liz Keating and Mayor Pureval, along with City Manager Long, Chief Theetge, Solicitor Woerner, and community leaders announced the introduction of two new ordinances targeted at illegally possessed weapons and negligent gun owners. 

These two new pieces of legislation are aimed at reducing the number of firearms that end up in the hands of bad actors in the middle of our gun violence epidemic. 

The first piece of legislation targets the revolving door of firearms. It is state law to immediately report a lost or stolen firearm. This ordinance enacts that locally, creating a 4th degree misdemeanor or a Class D civil penalty of $750. Many times, gun owners share their guns with family members and friends. Once it is confiscated by police or turns up in a crime scene - only then does the gun owner claim it was stolen and ask to have it returned. Not only does the immediate reporting requirement incentivize gun owners to hold onto their weapons, but it helps our officers know which guns are illegally possessed and out in the community. 

The second piece of legislation is protecting taxpayer dollars from negligent, reckless, and irresponsible gun owners. When guns are confiscated by our officers or turned into the Cincinnati Police Department, those weapons go through a process to get identified, tested, and entered into the NIBIN database. When a gun owner requests their property to be returned, CPD officers run a background check and - if necessary - verify judicial approval. It takes a significant amount of time and resources. After extensive review, the city found that it costs taxpayers $200 per firearm. This legislation implements a fee for this service and a timeline for the return of the firearm as long as all background checks are approved. The fee is waived for those who were a victim of a crime. This legislation protects limited police resources and taxpayer dollars while encouraging responsible gun ownership. 

Councilmember Keating’s office worked for many months alongside the City of Cincinnati Law Department, using data and expertise from the Cincinnati Police Department, CPD Crime Gun Intelligence Center team, and CPD Crime Analysis and Problem Solving Unit. These city employees should be recognized for their ongoing efforts to combat gun violence in our community. Additionally, the City Manager’s office has led significant work alongside many community advocates to help keep Cincinnati neighborhoods safe. City leadership and partner organizations play a key role in reducing gun violence. 

Statements from City leaders: 

Councilmember Liz Keating:

“The significant number of illegally possessed guns on our streets is a direct result of irresponsible and reckless behavior of some gun owners. I believe the data will show that these changes will make an impact over time, but there is still much work that must be done with a bipartisan coalition with multiple levels of government to protect our families from gun violence.” 

Mayor Aftab Pureval:

“It is not just important, but necessary that we equip our law enforcement with the tools they need to keep families safe. By closing loopholes and helping keep guns out of the wrong hands, this legislation is a critical step forward in our collective work to combat gun violence. Councilmember Keating has spent her entire career working to make Cincinnati a safer city, and this is a perfect example of her thoughtful and tireless leadership.” 

City Manager Sheryl Long:  

"When it comes to preventing gun violence, we can’t stop, we can’t rest, and we can’t slow down. The commitment and unfortunate need of my team to continuously problem solve, working with our elected officials around such a ridiculous problem, shows the lengths we will go in Cincinnati to insist that gun owners act responsibly. It’s been repeated so many times, to the point where it becomes painful: guns that are lost, stolen, or not locked up are being used to commit violent crimes.” 

Original source can be found here.