Kane County Health Department offers free gun locks to gun owners, retailers

The Kane County Health Department is offering free gun locks to households who have firearms and gun retailers to promote safe firearm storage, prevent unintentional injury and reduce suicide risk.

Once secured, the locks block trigger access to prevent anyone who doesn't have the key from operating the weapon.

These universal locks include installation instructions for autoloading pistols, revolvers, autoloading and pump-action shotguns, bolt action rifles, modern sport rifles, and single-action revolvers.

"We are making gun locks readily available to help prevent tragedies like accidental shootings, gun violence, gun thefts, and suicide," said Michael Isaacson, executive director. "Having an unsecured gun increases the chances of tragedy."

Gun owners can pick up the gun locks from the reception area of the Kane County Health Department at 1240 N. Highland Ave. in Aurora during the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The health department will not request any information from anyone picking up gun locks. Gun retailers may also obtain gun locks to make available at no charge to customers purchasing firearms, and can request them from Kaitlin Soriano, violence prevention coordinator at the Kane County Health Department, at sorianokaitlin@kanecountyil.gov.

"We want to provide Kane County gun retailers the opportunity to help their customers store their guns safely," Soriano said.

For more information about the KCHD Violence Prevention Program, visit kanehealth.com/Pages/Violence-Prevention.aspx