Local opinion: Firearms program key to reducing domestic violence lethality

As a public health advocate and member of the City Court of Tucson’s Domestic Violence Firearms Technical Assistance Project (DVFTAP) advisory group, I fully support the work of this project, which helps ensure the safety of domestic violence survivors from firearm-related injury or death.

According to the Giffords Law Center, “Firearm access helps to fuel domestic violence.  An abusive partner’s access to a firearm is serious threat to victims of domestic violence, making it five times more likely that a woman will be killed. Domestic violence assaults involving a gun are 12 times more likely to result in death that those involving other weapons or bodily force.”

The DVFTAP reduces firearm lethality in domestic violence relationships through court-ordered orders of protection combined with firearm transfer. This means that when an order of protection is served by the Tucson Police Department, firearms can also be quickly transferred from the owner to law enforcement, reducing the chances of firearms being used in continuing domestic violence abuse.

The use of TPD to expedite firearm transfer is preferable to using contract process servers who cannot accept these firearms. Currently, a majority of the orders of protection are delivered by process servers, which precludes the ability to quickly transfer and secure firearms which pose an ongoing threat to survivors. A retained and expanded DVFTAP would help reduce this potential danger.

Since its inception, the project has resulted in the transfer of 210 firearms from DV offenders.  In addition, 522 prohibited possessors were identified and their names entered into the federal National Incident Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

Besides the firearm transfer component, this innovative program also utilizes the Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse staffing to provide wrap around support services for high-risk domestic violence survivors.

The success of the Tucson DVFTAP project derives from the active and successful collaboration of the courts, legal, law enforcement and social service agencies all working together.

Another important aspect of this program is its replicability for courts throughout Pima County.  Continuation of this project will allow courts throughout Pima County to develop complimentary procedures to better protect DV survivors. Through its successful efforts over the last 4 years, the Tucson project has gained national notoriety as a leader in protecting domestic violence survivors from firearm violence.

Unfortunately, this program, like many other federal programs, will have its Office on Violence Against Women grant funding terminated in January, 2026.  The City must do everything in its power to continue and expand this life-saving project’s efforts to improve DV-related firearm transfer as well as providing high-risk survivors with Emerge Center support.

As Mayor Romero stated in her "Open Letter on Safety in Tucson": "Everyone deserves to be safe…we must also continue to fund the services and resources that create a safer community." DVFTAP is one of those programs that must be maintained in order to protect the health and safety of our most vulnerable community members.