Maine’s yellow flag law saw increased use by police in late 2024, aiming to remove weapons from those deemed dangerous.
Lewiston: So, it turns out that Maine’s yellow flag law really took off in the last few months of 2024. Police were using it a lot more to take away weapons from folks who might be a danger to themselves or others.
Before the tragic mass shooting in Lewiston back in October 2023, this law was hardly used. But then, it jumped to about 30 times a month for most of 2024. By the end of the year, it shot up to between 47 and 59 times a month. That’s a big change!
This yellow flag law is pretty unique; it’s the only one like it in the country. Most other states have something called a red flag law, which is a bit simpler. The yellow flag is mainly used to take guns from people who are suicidal, but it can also apply to those making threats to others.
York County Sheriff William King mentioned that as police get more familiar with the law, it’s becoming easier to use. They’ve got better forms, families are learning more about it, and there’s training from the Sanford Police Department. Plus, Spurwink, a mental health nonprofit, has been super helpful in guiding police through the process.
King said, “People are getting used to it. Spurwink put out a step-by-step process that’s awesome for us.” It’s nice to see that things are getting smoother for the officers involved.
Even with these improvements, handling each yellow flag case still takes a lot of time. King believes it’s worth it, saying, “Is the juice worth the squeeze? I think it is.”
Before the Lewiston shootings, the York County Sheriff’s Office had only used the yellow flag law once. Now, they’ve invoked it 21 times, with 12 of those since July. That’s a significant increase!
Ben Strick from Spurwink said it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the law is being used more, but it’s clear that more police departments are getting involved. There’s no specific pattern, just a steady rise in usage.
The law requires police to take someone into protective custody, have them evaluated by a mental health professional, and then get a judge’s order to take away their firearms temporarily. Some tweaks to the law in 2024 have also helped, like extending the time for arranging a hearing from 14 to 30 days.
Despite the increased use, the severity of the situations hasn’t changed. The word “suicide” has come up over 300 times in the explanations for the 630 times the law has been used since 2020. The details are kept private to protect individuals.
There have been some pretty serious cases, like a 71-year-old man who thought there were demons in his apartment and had a grenade. Another case involved a man threatening his family with a gun on Christmas Eve.
Strick believes that the yellow flag law is saving lives, even if it’s hard to measure exactly how. A study showed that for every 17 to 23 times a red flag law is used, one suicide is prevented. So, it seems like this law is making a difference.
Meanwhile, gun reform advocates are pushing for a red flag law in Maine, which would make it easier for families to remove a relative’s weapons. They’ve gathered over 60,000 signatures to get it on the ballot, needing about 67,000 total.
Twenty-one states already have red flag laws, which can be initiated by family members as well as police. This could streamline the process even more.
Margaret Groban from the Maine Gun Safety Coalition appreciates the use of the yellow flag law but thinks it’s a lot to ask of law enforcement. She said, “They don’t need to be doing that.”
Governor Janet Mills supports the current yellow flag system, while gun rights groups argue that it protects the rights of gun owners better than a red flag law would.
King, the sheriff, is still considering whether a red flag law would be better. He likes that the yellow flag law provides immediate mental health assessments and connections to treatment.
He concluded, “We are preventing tragedies and enhancing public safety.” He’s also interested in tracking whether people under weapon restrictions could still get firearms, to see how effective they really are.
