[HISTORY: Adopted by the Suffolk County Legislature as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 3-5-2013 by Res.
No. 96-2013]
Many perpetrators of mass shootings such as those in Aurora,
Colorado and Tuscon, Arizona either have been or are diagnosed with
serious mental illness at the time of committing their crimes or shortly
thereafter. The mass shooting of school children in Newtown, Connecticut
this past December has focused public attention on proposals to prevent
persons who are a threat to themselves or others from gaining access
to firearms. Stony Brook University Hospital has a specialized unit
to treat patients with acute psychiatric conditions, the Comprehensive
Psychiatric Emergency Program ("CPEP"). Suffolk County Police Officers
have transported more than 3,000 individuals determined to be a threat
to themselves or others and in need of psychiatric assistance to CPEP
each year for the past three years. It is recognized that the majority
of individuals who are mentally ill are not violent or dangerous,
but individuals who are involuntarily transported to CPEP may pose
a danger to themselves or others. It would be prudent to check the
names and addresses of individuals being transported to CPEP by the
Suffolk County Police Department and the Office of the Suffolk County
Sheriff against the County's pistol licensing registries to determine
if an individual owns or has access to firearms. Checking the identities
of these individuals against the pistol licensing registry provides
the Police Department with important information that can be used
to better protect public safety.
The Suffolk County Police Department and the Office of the Suffolk
County Sheriff are hereby authorized, empowered and directed to check
the identity and home address of any person transported involuntarily
by an officer to CPEP against the Suffolk County Police Department's
Pistol License Registry and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Pistol
License Registry.
A.Â
If the person transported to CPEP is unable to provide a home address,
the location at which he or she was encountered by law enforcement
shall be used.
B.Â
These requirements shall also apply to any transport made by an officer
to alternate facilities in the event CPEP is unable to accept additional
patients.
In the event the information provided by a person being transported
to CPEP matches with the name and/or address of a licensed pistol
owner, the Pistol Licensing Bureau of the Suffolk County Police Department
or the Pistol Licensing Bureau of the Suffolk County Sheriff's
Office will be notified of the transport and all appropriate information
no later than the next business day.
The Suffolk County Police Department and the Office of the Suffolk
County Sheriff are further authorized and directed to develop a plan
in conjunction with law enforcement departments outside of the Police
District to establish similar policies and ensure reporting to the
County's two pistol licensing bureaus.
Any County bureau receiving notification of a transport to CPEP
by a pistol licensee or resident of a pistol licensee's home
shall investigate and take all action necessary to determine the appropriate
status of the subject pistol license.
