Photo: iStockphoto
The City of Houston has officially launched its new firearm injury and death tracker, known as the SAFEWatch Houston Firearm Injuries Dashboard. The website compiles and displays firearm-related injury and crime data in an easily accessible format.
The dashboard pulls information from Level I trauma centers, EMS and 911 calls, as well as police-reported non-fatal injuries and deaths to show where in the city gun-related injuries—whether accidental or criminal—are most prevalent.
The Houston Health Department’s tracking and publication of this data is raising concerns among strong Second Amendment supporters. Attorney Michelle Maples warned: “The problem is calling it a ‘public health initiative.’ Guns are not a public health issue; guns are a tool used by a person.”
While she doesn’t view the dashboard itself as a bad idea, Maples stressed the need to prevent it from becoming something worse down the road. “We have to be careful with gun-control advocates,” she said. “This could be a slippery slope toward some form of registration. There are good intentions here—we just have to make sure it’s implemented the way it’s supposed to be.”
Maples also praised certain aspects of SAFEWatch, noting that it could become a valuable tool for people making informed self-defense decisions. “You’ll know where to stay away from,” she said, “and if you do have to go into those areas, you might think, ‘Well, maybe I should carry my firearm into this neighborhood.’”