Key Takeaways:
– Biden signs executive order to tackle new firearm threats and revamp school shooter drills.
– Emerging Threats Center established to spotlight developments in illegal firearm marketplaces.
– White House plans to provide improved guidelines for school-based active shooter drills, aiming to limit trauma and increase efficiency.
Gun Violence Mitigation Efforts in Focus
President Biden is making strategic moves towards reducing gun violence across the nation. This time, the plan materializes in form of an executive order consisting of two chief aspects. The first targets new threats posed by firearms and the second churning out a revision of school-based active shooter drill procedures.
Shedding Light on Emerging Firearms Threats
Over the decades, guns have evolved at an alarming pace, posing newer threats at every turn. In April 2021, Biden’s administration made its maiden executive move, focusing on ‘ghost guns’ – firearms without serial numbers. To further this cause, the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) established an Emerging Threats Center. The center aims to direct ATF resources towards identifying new trends within illegal firearm marketplaces. This involves close monitoring of new technologies used to manufacture and illegally distribute untraceable firearms and mechanism facilitating conversion of semi-automatic arms into illegal machine guns.
Two particular threats warranting attention include machine gun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms. The former allows semi-automatic weapons to fire at rates similar or superior to military machine guns. Between 2017 and 2021, ATF confiscated over 5,000 such devices, a significant increase of 570% compared to the preceding five-year period. With the constant evolution of 3D-printing technology, unserialized firearms have become worryingly accessible. These untraceable weapons escalate safety concerns, being often used for illegal activities and rendering avenues for illicit manufacturing or sale of firearms.
Revamping School-based Active Shooter Drills
Biden’s executive order isn’t merely firearm-focused. It also addresses concerns around the efficacy and impact of school-based active shooter drills. Although most schools currently employ drills to prepare their students for potential active shooter scenarios, the lack of research and standardized guidelines have raised concerns. Questions have arisen about how to construct and execute these drills to balance maximum preparedness and minimal trauma.
In line with this, the executive order directs the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Homeland Security to collaborate with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General, to provide improved guidelines within 110 days. The goal? To help schools revamp their drills to more effectively prepare for an active shooter situation while preventing or minimizing any ensuing trauma from poorly implemented drills.
A Steady March towards Safer Futures
Biden’s relentless efforts towards gun violence mitigation is noteworthy. The goal of his policies and reforms is clear and consistent – saving lives. These actions not only address immediate concerns but also pave the way for potential successors like Vice President Kamala Harris. If she wins the upcoming election, she would be able to build upon her predecessor’s accomplishments, continuing the journey towards a safer America for all families.
In conclusion, combating firearm violence and school shooting traumas is a complex mission requiring comprehensive efforts. Biden’s executive order marks a crucial step on this journey towards a safer future. It provides a launchpad for continuous improvements that, if diligently implemented and followed, could dramatically reshape the landscape of gun violence prevention and response.