Gun manufacturers are encouraged to adopt so-called smart gun technology under a resolution passed by the village board in the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood Monday night.
A few Wisconsin mayors, including Madison’s Paul Soglin and Milwaukee’s Tom Barrett, have already signed on to a national campaign called Do Not Stand Idly By, which aims to make guns safer. The Shorewood Village Board may be the first legislative body in Wisconsin to express its support of the national campaign.
The Shorewood Village Board discusses a resolution supporting the Do Not Stand Idly By campaign Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. Chuck Quirmbach/WPR
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Smart guns use technology like fingerprint or handgrip recognition to limit who can fire a weapon.
Shorewood resident Rod DePue said it’s possible federal politicians will tighten gun laws after last week’s mass shooting in Florida that killed 17 people, but he said grassroots efforts are needed too.
“If ever this country came together, and I know a lot of us are wondering if that’s ever going to happen, but I think it’s about working on both sides the grassroots and the politicians are going to have to realize that grassroots will help the politicians realize, when it comes time to vote,” DePue told WPR.
Do Not Stand Idly By hopes to get more police departments and the United States military to demand smart gun options when buying new weapons, and not do business with dealers whose guns are often found at crime scenes.
Laura Vuchetich, of the group Common Ground, says better technology may reduce gun thefts.
“I mean, there are a lot of trunk thefts, obviously thefts from homes, trading of guns. There’s an entire secondary market that would be incredibly difficult to maintain, if guns were smart,” Vuchetich said.
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