SF adult probation receives $800,000 funding boost

San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell announced a $800,000 funding boost in the upcoming budget for the Adult Probation Department to hire more staff so the department can make sure guns do not end up in the wrong hands.

The California voter-approved ballot measure Proposition 63 in 2016 lays out a process to confiscate guns from individuals convicted of a felony or a violent misdemeanor. The law took effect Jan 1.

The funding will help the Adult Probation Department hire five full-time positions, including four deputy probation officers and a supervising probation officer.

Elaine Fletcher, chief adult probation officer, said since the implementation of Prop. 63, the department has received more than 300 referrals from the Superior Court.

Prop. 63 requires courts to inform convicted individuals that they must get rid of their firearms by either handing them over to the local police, selling them to a licensed firearms dealer, or asking a dealer to keep them in storage.

It is up to The City’s probation officers to ensure that felons are complying with the state law.

Farrell said Tuesday that cities must take action on gun control measures as Congress continues to sit on its hands on:

“It is up to state and local governments to counteract and to do everything we can locally to protect the sanctity of life for our residents and we are doing that here in San Francisco.”

Farrell worked on a number of pieces of legislation related to gun control including a law that requires gun shops to video record firearm sales, which drove out the last gun shop in The City.

Supervisor Catherine Stefani, advocate for gun control laws, introduced legislation in February to prohibit anyone from having a concealed weapon at public parks and public gatherings.

Stefani said:

“I am so proud to join Mayor Farrell today in supporting additional funding to make certain San Francisco is removing gun from violent offenders and following the letter of the law.”