City of Kirkland issued the following announcement on April 07.
Currently, schools are closed, and our children are home in response to Governor Inslee’s “stay home, stay healthy” order. During this public health emergency, our children and teens are spending a lot of time in the home. An estimated 13 million households with children in the U.S. have at least one gun. Not all these firearms are stored securely, with approximately 4.6 million children living in a household with at least one gun that is stored loaded and unlocked. Adults should always assume children and teens know where guns are stored, and it is our responsibility to keep them locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition.
Consistent with RCW 9.41.360, Unloaded firearms should be secured with a firearm locking device, such as a trigger guard lock or cable lock, or in a locked location, like a safe or lock box. Ammunition should be stored separately from the firearm in a secure location. Gun safes and gun lock boxes come in all sizes and are available with quick access entry codes if needed.
As parents and adults, we are doing everything possible to keep our children safe and healthy during this medical crisis. Let’s also do our best to keep our children safe while at home by not providing them access to a loaded firearm. The men and women of the Kirkland Police Department would like to thank you for your help and support during this time of crisis and want you to know we will be here when you call.
The 2019 Enhanced Police Services and Community Safety ballot measure approved by Kirkland voters included funds for gun safety measures. If you would like a free trigger lock for your weapon, please contact us at police@kirklandwa.gov.
Original source can be found here.
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