BEND, OR -- Bend's City Council plans to discuss gun safety and potential city action at its next work session. Councilor Melanie Kebler requested the agenda item this week, in response to the Safeway shooting. “This is something that I think has been important to this Council from day one. We’ve previously had people come and educate us and the public about our emergency protective orders, about gun safety,” Kebler said.

Councilor Barb Campbell agreed, saying she’d like to see the city sponsor public messaging specifically around red flag laws, “We do have a red flag law in our state but I don’t think very many people know it exists or how they might be able to use that to get help for someone if they know of someone who seems in danger of harming themself or others.”

Kebler also asked for time to talk with staff about what action the city can and can’t take, “There are other laws that preempt us from doing a lot on this issue. But there are still some things we could do here, locally. And then to talk about things like whether or not this Council wants to formally support Measure 114 that’s going to be on the ballot this year, and if we want to explore any other programs we might want to do.” Measure 114 would ban high-capacity magazines and require gun buyers to have a special permit issued by law enforcement.

The next City Council work session is Wednesday, September 21.