Nashville gun owners can now lock and load with a focus on safety, thanks to a new initiative by local authorities. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has teamed up with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to provide free cable firearm locks, ensuring that firearms can be stored more safely. The lock giveaway is part of the Safe Store Tennessee program, which aims to curb accidental shootings and gun thefts.
The 15-inch cable locks, designed to secure most shotguns, rifles, and handguns, run through the gun's barrel or action to prevent it from being fired. With a keyed deadbolt locking mechanism and a protective rubber coating, these locks are intended to provide both security and peace of mind to gun owners. Gun owners throughout Tennessee are encouraged by law enforcement to take an active role in gun safety by securing their firearms, as stated by Commissioner Jeff Long in a recent announcement.
"As law enforcement professionals, we know that safe firearm storage saves lives. We’re encouraging all Tennessee gun owners to use our free cable lock to store their firearm safely," Jeff Long said. With multiple distribution locations across the city, from MNPD Headquarters to the Madison Precinct, accessibility to these safety devices has been prioritized.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake highlighted the dual benefits of using gunlocks, noting, "Gunlocks not only save lives by preventing young hands from accidentally discharging firearms, they can also help reduce gun crime by making locked weapons less attractive to thieves." Gun owners can find the free cable locks at several MNPD precincts, and for added security, the MNPD and TDOSHS advise using other safe storage measures in combination with the cable lock.
According to the safety recommendation, a firearm with an engaged cable lock should be tucked away in a locked case, safe, or lockbox, separate from its ammunition, which should be kept in a different locked container. The key to the firearm's cable lock should be stored in a secure location that is not easily accessed.
