Owning a firearm is your right. Securing it safely is your responsibility.
Locking your house and car are ways you show respect for your property and take responsibility for its safety.
Doing the same for your firearms and ammunition can reduce the risk of both self-inflicted and unintentional firearm injury by more than 78%.
(Source: Gun Storage Practices and Risk of Youth Suicide and Unintentional Firearm Injuries)
Any loaded, unlocked firearm in your home—even if it’s intended to defend your family—puts your family members, and any visitors to your home, at risk.
These three simple steps take a matter of seconds to complete, and go far in preventing unauthorized access to your firearms and ammunition:
Unload
Unload all ammunition from your firearm.
Lock
Use your preferred method of secure storage to keep your firearm safe.
Separate
Store your ammunition in a locking storage device, separate from where you store your firearms.
In Laramie County, 8 out of 10 suicides are by firearm.
(Source: Laramie County Suicide Fatality Review Team 2022 Annual Report)
Preventing access to methods of harming oneself—including secure, separate firearm and ammunition storage—is one of the most effective ways to reduce suicide.
If you or someone in your home is displaying signs of depression, experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, or going through a traumatic emotional event,
limiting access to firearms is crucial.
In addition to securing firearms and ammunition to make them inaccessible to the person at risk, you can ask a trusted friend or local organization to secure the firearms and ammunition off-site until the situation improves.
support.
the best storage device is one you’ll use
Secure storage ensures your firearm and ammunition are easily available to you, yet not accessible to others. There are numerous options for secure, lockable storage, some of which allow you access almost immediately.
Some of the most popular (and readily available) storage devices include:
Cable Lock
- Runs through the barrel or action to prevent accidental firing
- Requires either a key or combination to unlock
Lock Box
- Integrated lock
- Available in a variety of sizes, and easy to store
Gun Safe
- Options with a biometric (fingerprint) lock ensure only authorized people have access
- Secure multiple firearms in one place
Laramie County Resources
Get a free Project ChildSafe Safety Kit, which includes a cable-style gun lock and safety instructions, by contacting any organization listed below:
- Cheyenne Police Department: (307) 637-6500
- Laramie County Sheriff’s Department: (307) 633-4700
- Wyoming Highway Patrol: (307) 777-4321