Long Beach is distributing 200 free gun safes to its residents to bolster community safety and curb incidents of accidental firearm injuries, especially among kids. Announced by the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), this initiative is also supported by the Parks, Recreation, and Marine Department. The safes will be available at various park locales and a health department location in North Long Beach.
Mayor Rex Richardson highlighted the urgency behind this move, stating, "Data show that nearly 4.6 million American children live in homes with unlocked and loaded guns." This initiative aims to curb a grim statistic wherein firearms are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. The city's officials are urging residents to follow the SMART framework, which advocates for secure storage and responsible gun behavior.
The gun safes, designed to hold up to two handguns and weighing 10 pounds each, are part of the city’s violence prevention strategy. They will be issued, no questions asked, on a first-come, first-served basis starting April 28, at predetermined locations including Admiral Kidd Park, Cesar E. Chavez Park, and Coolidge Park, among others. Dr. Anissa Davis, City Health Officer, underscored the impact of using gun safes, saying, "It also helps prevent unauthorized access, lowering the chances of firearm-related violence and suicide." The distribution schedule and locations are listed in the city's announcement.
The funding for these gun safes, totaling $35,478, comes from the Fiscal Year 2025 city budget and aligns with Long Beach's strategic goals around community safety and violence prevention. The initiative also complements the city's broader objective of ensuring the safety of children and youth from violence by 2030. For those interested in more information on gun safety, officials recommend the Be Smart for Kids website.
