Use of Maine’s yellow flag law has grown dramatically since the Lewiston mass shootings: law enforcement agencies completed more than 500 weapons restriction orders in the past 14 months, up from fewer than 100 in the three years prior to the tragedy.
Since August, when an amendment to the yellow flag law went into effect, officers have had the option to apply for a warrant when trying to bring people into protective custody, which is the first step for a weapons restriction order.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry told The Monitor in August that he thought it would be a “good and relevant tool.” Yet few agencies have used it so far…