Guns and School Safety
Updates from Marin County Office of Education & local law enforcement.
Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) and law enforcement agencies continueto work together to provide information that helps educate families about gun safety. Please find below letters from the MCOE Superintendent Mary Jane Burke, District Attorney Lori Frugoli, and Marin County Sheriff Jamie Scardina, sharing the latest information for gun safety resources.
- If you have guns at home, assume children can find them.
- Store guns securely (locked in a gun safe, unloaded, with the ammunition locked separately).
- Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes (play dates, neighbors, family).
- Recognize the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and depression and speak up.
As a reminder, gun owners may be liable under California law if they do not properly store their firearms in a locked container or with a locking device. EndFamilyFire.org provides guidelines for securing guns safely in the home. Secure gun storage options are readily available nearby and range from basic trigger locks to fireproof gun safes that, when bolted to a structural wall, also stop theft.
Resources for a Mental Crisis: If you are concerned about a friend or family member in crisis, please ask for help, especially if there is a gun in the home.
- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (English y Espanol): Call/text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
- Text MARIN to 741741.
- Learn the warning signs of suicide.
- Marin Mobile Crisis Response Team: (415) 473-6392 from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday – Friday and 1 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays.
- For domestic violence, in an emergency, text or call 911. Or call the 24-hour Marin Domestic Violence Hotline, 415-924-6616, CenterForDomesticPeace.org.
Removing a gun can make a home safer. If a gun is no longer wanted, it can be turned in to local law enforcement or a gun buyback program.