State launches first of its kind Office of Gun Violence Prevention

SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday announced the launch of the California Department of Justice’s new Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The statewide agency will be dedicated to implementing data-backed public safety strategies and increasing awareness. 

Bonta said the office will serve as the hub for strategic and innovative programs to reduce gun violence in addition to being a valuable resource to law enforcement during an announcement in San Francisco Wednesday morning.

“We are going to save lives. We are going to make California safer. We are going to make our communities healthier,” Bonta explained. “California has long been the nation’s leader in effectively preventing gun violence.”

The state has one of the lowest rates of gun deaths in the country. But despite efforts at the state level, firearms were the leading cause of death for children in the United States in 2020. Gun violence remains a public health crisis that requires immediate and proactive attention. 

Bonta also noted that the state Department of Justice is starting a nationwide search for the office’s first director.

“I am doubling down on California’s gun safety efforts,” Bonta said in a press release. “I am defending our commonsense gun safety laws in court and cracking down on the surge of untraceable ghost guns. I am proud to lead a team of special agents that remove firearms from the hands of dangerous individuals.   

The office has launched a new webpage to provide the public with information about the office and resources for learning about California’s work and strategies to further reduce gun violence.