San Francisco police launch free firearm storage program to prevent family tragedies

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Safe firearm storage just got more accessible in San Francisco.

Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill on Thursday announced a first-of-its-kind program that allows residents to drop off their guns at any of the city’s 10 police stations, where San Francisco police will securely store them for up to a year at no cost.

The initiative is a partnership with Pierce’s Pledge, a nonprofit founded by mother Lesley Hu, whose 9-year-old son Pierce was murdered by his father during a custody battle in 2021. After killing Pierce, Hu’s ex-husband died by suicide in their Marina apartment.

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“This is a campaign about keeping your home safe, knowing what’s happening in your home and taking the firearm away if you’re in these critical moments,” Hu told ABC7 News. “Not having the gun in that moment seems to be the only thing that could have prevented, or even given Pierce a chance to have lived.”

Hu says she never imagined a life in advocacy. Now, she spends her days working to raise awareness about safe gun storage through Pierce’s Pledge.

“I am building Pierce’s legacy. He was supposed to be my legacy so now I am his,” she said.

Her nonprofit has created a nationwide map of safe firearm storage sites, many of which are gun stores. In San Francisco – where there are no gun shops – Hu says this program fills a crucial gap.

How the program works

San Franciscans can voluntarily bring firearms to any police station. It’s recommended to call ahead before drop-off, and from there participants will receive step-by-step instructions.

Officers will package and transfer the gun to a centralized facility. Owners will get a receipt to reclaim the firearm within one year.

“We’d ask that you not carry the firearm into the station, if at all possible. If you can, please make sure it’s unloaded and locked in a secure container. Or if you drive, leave it in your vehicle. We know what to do from there,” said Nicole Jones, SFPD deputy chief.

Currently, judges can order a firearm to be removed from a home if they believe someone poses a threat. This new program allows people to bypass the courts and remove a gun from their house voluntarily and free of charge. Leaders said it’s designed for families involved in volatile situations like custody disputes, divorce, or even if a family member is having suicidal thoughts.

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“This gives families a safe and a practical option when circumstances change, and it is no longer safe to keep a gun at home,” Sherrill said at a Monday press conference.

Lurie said it’s a “simple idea with a powerful goal.”

“Every week, a child is killed by a parent or stepparent during divorce or custody disputes. Every week,” Lurie said. “That reality is unacceptable, especially when we can work to prevent it.”

Hu said she still feels Pierce’s presence every single day nearly five years after his death. Now, she hopes to turn her grief into power by educating others about the need for safe firearm storage.

“It can happen to anybody, and there’s no second chances either. You don’t get to go back and say, ‘oh, I’ll be more prepared next time.’ No, you have to be prepared this time. Now is the time to get prepared,” she said. “I’m not going to stop until this moment of custody is safe for kids.”