HAHN, FEUER SUPPORT GUN MAKER AGAINST NRA.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Hoping to encourage other gun manufacturers to join in one's historic agreement, two Los Angeles city officials on Wednesday said government agencies should be urged to purchase weapons only from companies that promise to make handguns safer.

Smith & Wesson, the nation's largest manufacturer of handguns, agreed last week to a settlement to make its products safer with the installation of external trigger locks, limit sales, provide a ballistic fingerprint of each weapon and finance research into developing ``smart handguns.''

City Attorney James Hahn and Councilman Mike Feuer called for government to provide incentives to purchase weapons only from Smith & Wesson or other companies that agree to the same terms.

Hahn issued his call to the California Gun Task Force, including representatives of cities that are suing gun manufacturers, while Feuer urged Los Angeles city agencies to buy weapons only from Smith & Wesson or companies that follow its lead.

Feuer said the city buys guns for officers in the airport, harbor and General Services Agency forces, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD now buys all its weapons from Beretta, which beat out Smith & Wesson for the city's last contract.