Updates to our Red Flag Data Dashboard
Last year, my office unveiled a first-of-its-kind data dashboard documenting Red Flag Orders (ESROs and SROs). This dashboard is updated monthly, and allows members of our community to access information about the status of current Red Flag cases.
As part of our ongoing effort to increase transparency, we’re pulling back the curtain even further.
Today’s updates to our dashboard not only give the community access to information about our latest cases, but also provides data on the outcome of Red Flag orders.
After collecting data on our first few batches of Red Flag cases, my team recognized that just over half of all Emergency Substantial Risk Orders (ESROs) were being extended into Substantial Risk Orders (SROs). We immediately identified this as an area of improvement. After providing attorneys with training around specific guidance, we’ve seen a steady increase in the percentage of ESROs that are converted into SROs.
During the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2023, we saw vast improvement in our conversion rate — with over 80%* of ESROs extended into SROs in the final quarter of the year.
This sounds great, but we should take a minute to explain why this data matters so much to our office.
In 2020, Virginia joined more than a dozen other states in enacting legislation that allows local law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. Our office uses this law as another tool in our toolbox to help stem the tide of gun violence in our community.
Emergency Substantial Risk Orders (ESROs) are temporary measures, lasting just 14 days. If the Commonwealth’s Attorney wishes to extend the order, they must present evidence that the respondent of the ESROs still presents a danger to themselves or others at a court hearing, where it may be extended for up to 180 days as a Substantial Risk Order (SRO).
While the order is in place, respondents’ firearms are turned over to the police and they are not allowed to possess, purchase, or transport firearms until after the order has expired. These Red Flag orders are one of my office’s best weapons in battling gun crimes, as it allows concerned community members to initiate an ESRO to protect themselves or others.
Scenarios like these are why we have committed ourselves so strongly to building a comprehensive data infrastructure. Not only are we keeping our promise to be as transparent as possible with the community, but we are also using our data to identify areas for improvement and then checking back in regularly to ensure we’re on the right path.
We’re using this data in real-time, every single day, to help build a safer Fairfax County.
*Update 3/26/2024: This post previously touted an over 75% conversion rate for ESRO cases into SRO cases in the fourth quarter of 2023. After data collection and entry was finalized for said quarter, the conversion rate was revised to over 80%.
