NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The state is hoping to prevent tragedies, with a new program offering free gun locks to gun owners.
People can pick up cable gun locks, provided by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, at their district THP headquarters or local DMV.
They are 15 inches long and can secure most shotguns, rifles, pistols, and revolvers. You run it through the barrel or action of the firearm to prevent it from being fired and it has a deadbolt lock with a 4-pin cylinder.
These free locks are part of the new Safe Store Tennessee program. A bill creating this program was one of the few laws passed during the Special Session in August, 2023.
The special session was meant to create more public safety laws following the Covenant School Shooting in March, 2023.
The department still recommends people use the free gun locks in combination with other safe storage such as a lock box.
To drive the importance of that home, on Wednesday Metro Police reported 73 guns have been stolen in Davidson County already this year and 48 of them were stolen from cars.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
