Mayor Edwin M. Lee today during the Technology and Innovation Task Force of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 84th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. issued an Executive Directive to change San Francisco’s purchasing protocol to prioritize the purchase of firearms and ammunition from socially responsible manufacturers and distributors. The Mayor’s action leverages the City’s purchasing power and potentially that of other cities to support manufacturers and dealers that have already implemented industry best practices and encourages others in the industry to adopt the highest level of responsibility and safety in the manufacturing and sales of firearms and ammunition.

“President Obama’s actions on reducing gun violence will make our cities safer, with more background checks, increased access to mental health treatment to prevent violence and more investments in gun safety technology,” said Mayor Lee. “Senseless gun violence is occurring all too frequently, and we must do everything we can to reduce gun violence in our communities and ensure every resident is safe. Here in San Francisco, we are taking local action by leveraging our City’s purchasing power to tell the gun industry that safety is our number one priority and we only want to do business with those that understand this.”