By ELIZABETH CIEPIELA

Staff writer

Tomorrow kicks off the second year that Project Childsafe, a national organization that helps provide firearms safety, will distribute gun locks to the public through the Des Moines Police Department.

About 800 gun locks will be distributed through Des Moines and 20,00 throughout King County.

Cari Crockett, a spokewoman for Project Childsafe, said anyone –– other police officers, hunters or women who have guns for their protection, and regardless whether they live in Des Moines or elsewhere — can visit the Police Department and be given a free gun lock. There is no screening process and no questions are asked, she said.

“If we deter even one tragic accident, that’s kind of how we measure the success of the program,” Crockett said.

“Any program that helps build more community awareness and teaches gun safety is a good thing, otherwise we wouldn’t be participating in such a program,” said Robert Hollis, a spokesman for the Des Moines Police.

“We encourage everyone who owns a firearm to store it somewhere inaccessible to children or (anyone else) unauthorized to use it, and that ammunition be stored in a separate area,” Crockett said.

A firearm must be unloaded in order for the gun lock to work, Crockett said.

Other than police departments, people can obtain gunlocks and learn about firearm safety at the following locations and times:

The gun locks are provided by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Staff writer Elizabeth Ciepiela: 925-5565, eciepiela@fedwaymirror.com

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