OAKLAND COUNTY — The Oakland County’s Sheriff’s Office is offering residents free trigger locks for their firearms to prevent unwanted access to a gun.
Locks are available at all sheriff’s office substations, the sheriff’s office headquarters located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd. on the Oakland-County government complex and most local law enforcement agencies, according to a press release.
“We are pleased to provide these gun locks, not only to our partner police agencies, but to continue distributing them at no cost to the community,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “We have distributed gun locks for many years. It is one easy way to secure weapons, and it is now required in certain circumstances under a recently enacted state law.”
A Michigan law that took effect in February requires an individual who stores or leaves a firearm unattended on their property, and who knows or reasonably should know that a minor is, or is likely to be, present on the property must store the firearm in a locked box or container; or keep the firearm unloaded and locked “with a locking device that is properly engaged to render the firearm inoperable by any individual other than the owner or an authorized user.”
The locks were provided by the Detroit VA Healthcare System. NSSF, the Firearm Industry Trade Association, launched the first gun storage check week on June 1, which ends June 7, to remind gun owners to review their firearm storage practices with the goal of preventing accidents, suicides and thefts.