Should Prince George’s Have a Gun Offenders Registry?

Prince George’s County could soon join jurisdictions around the country in requiring those convicted of gun crimes to be a part of a registry and regularly check in with police.

The county council is considering a bill that would create such a registry, The Washington Post reports. Last year, 64 people were in the county and hundreds more wounded. The legislation is an effort to increase safety on county streets where police say a high number of people are illegally carrying firearms.

Similar laws have been passed in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York City in recent years.

“These guys are not afraid to ride around with guns,” Prince George’s Deputy Police Chief Craig Howard told the Post. “They’re not afraid to get locked up. So hopefully, this will give us a little teeth.”