Southfield police chief helps spread word on new gun laws

SOUTHFIELD — Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said he is very happy with the new gun laws that took effect last month in Michigan.

On Feb. 13, Public Act 17 of 2023 went into effect, requiring secure storage of firearms. The new laws require gun owners to keep unattended weapons unloaded and unlocked, with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container, if it is reasonably known that a minor is going to be on the premises.

“I have been very passionate about gun violence and gun safety, particularly the safety of our children,” Barren said. “I’m very happy about those laws. Because, again, this is common sense. You see it play out across the country, locally and nationally. When children get their hands on unattended weapons, the weapon turns on them as they manipulate the weapon and shoot themselves or shoot their playmate.”

Barren has been involved in multiple gun lock giveaways, and attended community forums aimed at preventing gun violence, suicide and domestic violence. The Southfield Police Department has also held gun buybacks in partnership with St. David’s Episcopal Church. Barren said he is also passionate about preventing domestic violence and has participated in the Walk to Raise Awareness of Domestic Violence and helped create the Domestic Violence High-Risk Response Team, a multi-disciplinary group of public safety officials, court representatives, school officials, elected officials and community advocate organizations dedicated to identifying high-risk domestic violence cases.

He noted a recent gun incident in Michigan.

“In fact, the most recent case just came out of Flint, where a young child got a hold of a weapon and shot herself in the head. And now that father is the first individual to face these new laws, and the penalties, from my understanding, are severe,” Barren said.

According to a press release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, if an individual fails to store a firearm as required and a minor gains access to the firearm, then under PA 16 of 2023, they are guilty of a crime.

The law states:

• “If the minor possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or possesses or exhibits the firearm in the presence of another person in a careless, reckless or threatening manner: a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 93 days or a fine of up to $500, or both.

• “If the minor discharges the firearm and injures themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

• “If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts serious impairment of a body function on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to $7,500, or both.

• “If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts death on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.”

Charges for other criminal offenses from the incident may also be implemented in addition to those penalties.

Barren encouraged Southfield gun owners to visit the Southfield Police Department for a free gun lock. The state is still exploring gun disposal options, since it came out in a New York Times investigation that the guns collected at buybacks in Flint and Southfield were not destroyed but were instead recycled and resold. Barren said that another gun buyback is tentatively scheduled for sometime in June.

Father Chris Yaw, the rector at St. David’s Episcopal Church, has been an advocate for gun safety and shared that the gun buyback is contingent upon the Southfield Police Department’s ability to store the guns and the state’s ability to find an alternative to GunBusters, the Missouri-based company that Michigan State Police sent firearms to for destruction. It was revealed that the guns sent to GunBusters were recycled rather than destroyed.

“The latest is that there is still no resolution,” Yaw said. “Not only are their coffers full up in Lansing with the state police, but they have asked municipalities to no longer send guns their way.”

Barren stated that the Southfield Police Department will still accept guns that are brought to the Police Department. He explained that people can call the Southfield Police Department and arrange a time to drop off their weapon. They must remain in their vehicle, and an officer will come out to the parking lot to retrieve the unloaded weapon.

Attorney General Dana Nessel stated, in a press release from the MDHHS that she is proud of the “commonsense gun safety measures and am committed to using the resources of my office to educate residents about the new measures and support our communities through implementation.”

For more information, visit michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2024/02/08/firearms-laws.

To contact the Southfield Police Department, call (248) 796-5500.

For more information on future gun buybacks, visit stdavidssf.org.