LANSING, Mich — Free gun locks will be available at Michigan health department facilities around the state while supplies last.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan State Police (MSP) partnered to purchase and distribute cable-style gun locks at MDHHS locations.
MSP bought 75,000 locks which will be available at all MDHHS offices no later than June while supplies last.
“We are partnering with Michigan State Police, local MDHHS offices and our local health departments, to help prevent these tragedies and keep Michigan children and families safe from firearm violence,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “Our department is devoted to improving the safety and well-being of Michigan children, as outlined in our Keep Kids Safe Action Agenda, and actions such as implementing gun locks are going to make a difference when it comes to prevention efforts around firearm safety.”
The gun locks are to be distributed in an effort to protect children from unsecured firearms.
In February of 2024, the state's new law requiring safe storage of guns went into effect.
“Under Michigan’s newly enacted Safe Storage (Child Access Prevention) Law, individuals can be held criminally responsible for improperly storing or leaving unattended a firearm where a minor is present or likely to be present if the minor obtains the firearm,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. “Because this law seeks to prevent injuries and deaths, we want to make safe storage as easy and accessible as possible so in addition to obtaining a gun lock from many police agencies, Michiganders can now also come into a MDHHS office to pick one up, no questions asked.”
You can visit your local MDHHS office to request a gun lock while supplies last. Free gun locks may also be available through your local health department. You can also get free gun locks through Project ChildSafe police partners across the state.
Gunlock instructions are on the product’s packaging and available on the Project ChildSafe website.
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