August 24, 2010

PORTLAND -- Portland Mayor Sam Adams introduced five new proposals that he believes could control gang problems in the city and now he wants the public to share input.

Last week, there were 10 gang-related shootings in the Portland Metro area and over the weekend, there was one additional deadly shooting which was not gang-related.

More: Recent gang-related shootings in Portland

Adams said he wants the public to be involved in designing and deciding on new gun and anti-gang initiatives.

One of Adams ideas would involve a curfew for juveniles who have violated gun laws. Another recommendation was to create new penalties for people who fail to control childrens access to firearms or fail to report a theft or loss of a firearm.

Along with those initiatives, Adams also suggested increased penalties for people who are found in possession of loaded firearms in public places. And Adams would like to exclude people who have violated gun laws from areas of the city where the use of guns is especially high.

"Portland has, for years, been swimming in the use of illegal guns by criminals, " said Adams.

But one local gun lobby says the proposals will not work.

"They are laughable and pathetic," said Kevin Starrett, Oregon Firearms Federation Director, "That's what Sam Adams wants to do is to turn Portland into Chicago. More regulations and more crime."

The Oregon Firearms Foundation isn't just attacking the plan and the mayor, calling him a disgrace and a self-admitted liar.

Mayor Adams called the gun lobby bullies during a city hall interview.

"We can't continue to sit on our hands. It's the bullying tactics like the Oregon Firearms Federation that stalls gun safety legislation in Salem."

But according to the Oregon Firearms Federation, guns aren't the problem -- it's the people who use guns, Starrett said.

"The problem is the behavior. If you don't have guns, these people will find ways to kill each other."

Mayor Adams doesn't deny that, but he feels he needs to do something to combat this problem.

"Keep guns out of childrens' hands. How can you object to that?"

Adams has asked for public comments on the proposed initiatives over the next two weeks.