Get a free gun lock

Gun locks prevent accidents, violence and suicides. Gun locks save lives.

Minnesota law requires loaded firearms to be secured so children cannot get to them. But true responsibility goes further. Hiding or putting a firearm out of reach is not enough to keep kids safe. Most firearm-related injuries and deaths, especially among youth, occur due to unsecured firearms in homes. The most effective way to reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths is to use a gun lock and keep firearms unloaded and stored separately from ammunition.

Safe storage doesn’t just protect kids from accidental shootings. The latest available gun death data shows that the use of a gun in a suicide attempt is lethal in 90% of cases. Gun locks can add a delay between thoughts and action during moments of crisis.

The public can request free gun locks directly from their local sheriff’s office or through a network of community partners. The Department of Public Safety has given away over 100,000 gun locks since 2022 through our Minnesota Safe and Secure partners.