Davis Police Department Distributes Free Gun Locks
The Davis Police Department announced today that they will be distributing free gun locks at local events, in partnership with Yolo County Moms Demand Action, to help raise awareness for the recently passed City of Davis Safe Storage of Firearms ordinance.

Free gun locks will be given away by the Davis Police Department at the following events:
-September 29, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursdays in the Davisphere at 301 C Street, Davis
-October 1, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Davis Farmers Market at 301 C Street, Davis
-October 14, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Discover Davis at 2001 Second Street, Davis
-October 16, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Davis Neighbors’ Night Out (locks will be distributed at individual block parties)  

“Secure storage of firearms is an essential part of home safety,” said Mayor Lucas Frerichs. “By ensuring that firearms are responsibly handled and safely stored, we can help prevent unintentional shootings and better protect our residents.”

4.6 million children 17 and under live in homes with guns that are both loaded and unlocked and every year, nearly 700 children die by suicide with a gun. In 2020, gun suicide among this age group reached the highest rate in more than 20 years making firearms the leading cause of death among children in the United States.

On August 30, 2022, the Davis City Council voted unanimously to pass the Safe Storage of Firearms ordinance with minor amendments to the security of firearms in vehicles. The ordinance goes into effect on September 29, 2022.

State law requires that all firearms sold or transferred in California either be equipped with California Department of Justice-approved safety locks or be accompanied by proof that the buyer owns a Department of Justice-approved safe. However there is no universal requirement for owners to actually use these locks or safes nor is there a requirement covering firearms purchased out-of-state. 

The newly passed Davis ordinance requires a person who keeps a firearm in a residence to safely store the firearm by either placing it in a locked container or by using a firearm safety device, either of which has been approved by the California Department of Justice for the safe storage of that particular firearm. If the firearm is not locked, the firearm owner must have it in their close proximity and control.

The Safe Storage of Firearms ordinance will be enforced like any other law that regulates conduct inside the home or vehicle. Absent exigent circumstances, the Police Department would not proactively check whether the ordinance is being violated. It would be enforced when the officers are already lawfully in a residence or contacting persons in a vehicle for other lawful reasons.

Free gun locks are also available in the lobby of the Davis Police Department, Monday – Thursday and every other Friday between 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Residents with questions about the Safe Storage of Firearms ordinance or about gun locks in general should contact the Police Department at [email protected] or by calling 530-747-5405. To read the full Ordinance, visit: https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/police-department/safe-storage-of-firearms#!/