The stark truth: It’s far too easy for dangerous people to get guns

By Steve Wolfson

Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Editor's note: With Election Day on the horizon, the Sun is presenting a special package of guest columns today from supporters of Ballot Question 1, which would expand background checks for firearms purchases. The Sun endorses the measure.

I take my job as the Clark County district attorney seriously. It is an honor and a sacred duty to represent the legal branch of the largest county in Nevada, and one of my top priorities is to make sure we are doing all we can to put dangerous criminals in jail and keep our communities safe.

It is a simple fact that, right now, it is far too easy for dangerous people to get guns. There’s no denying that when you look at what is happening right here in Las Vegas. Violent crime is up. Gun violence is up. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office has four specialty prosecution teams that deal with gun violence cases: homicide team, gun team, domestic battery team and gang team. That adds up to about 25 prosecutors who deal exclusively with cases of violent crimes and particularly, crimes committed with guns.

Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the carnage that gun violence is wreaking on our communities. My office is handling these cases every day, seeking justice against violent offenders and working to provide services and support to victims and their families whose lives have changed forever because of gun violence.

As the chief prosecutor in Clark County, I also take seriously my responsibility to do everything I can to reduce gun violence and help make our communities safer. I am convinced that voting yes on Question 1 will save lives. I can give examples of cases where if Question 1 had been the law, specific criminals would have been stopped from obtaining that gun on that day, possibly saving a life. That’s the duty of law enforcement — to improve public safety and save lives.

Now, I know that passing Question 1 won’t put an end to all gun violence. No one law can. But it is foolish for those opposed to Question 1 to deny that we won’t be safer by closing the loophole and enforcing our existing laws barring felons, domestic abusers and other dangerous people from getting guns. I firmly believe Question 1 will make us safer, as do the thousands of police officers, gun owners, veterans and many others across our state who join me in supporting Question 1.

I am a gun owner. I support the Second Amendment. I also know that gun violence is out of control. It would have been easier and probably more politically expedient to sit on the sidelines and not lend my voice to the Question 1 campaign. I chose to actively support this campaign because I believe we all have a responsibility to make our state better, not just for ourselves and our families but for all of our Nevada neighbors, from the smallest town to the biggest city. Question 1 will not burden law-abiding citizens, but it will make it harder for criminals and other dangerous people to access guns. That should be something that all Nevadans can support.

For all of these reasons, I am voting yes on Question 1 and I urge my fellow Nevadans to join me.

Steve Wolfson is the disrict attorney for Clark County.