Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LA County Explores Giving Away Free Gun Locks At Hospitals and Medical Campuses
Supervisor Janice Hahn brought a cable gun lock to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting to show her colleagues what it looks like.
(
Screenshot of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting livestream
)
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion on Tuesday that will explore giving away free gun locks at county-operated hospitals and medical campuses.
What are gun locks?
Gun locks are a way of securing firearms, which is required by state law if there are children in the home. There are a variety of different locks out there, but one of the most common kinds is the cable lock, according to the California attorney general's office.
The locks usually have a steel cable that can be looped through the gun to prevent accidental firing. The gun can be used again once the cable is released using a set of keys that comes with the lock. However, unlike a lock-box or gun safe, cable locks aren’t designed to prevent theft or keep firearms out of reach.
Support for LAist comes from
Supervisor Janice Hahn showed off a cable lock to her colleagues during the meeting.
“They're very easy to use, they're very secure and they make a lot of sense,” she said. “Using gun locks can prevent tragedies in the home, especially with children.”
Hahn pointed to a deadly incident in July when a 3-year-old accidentally shot and killed their 1-year-old sister in their San Diego home.
Why hospitals?
Hahn said hospitals around the country are giving away free gun locks because some studies have shown that people are more likely to use gun locks at home if they’re given to them by a doctor or in a medical setting.
A 2022 study from Cincinnati Children's found that when a hospital gave gun locks to families of children with mental health concerns, more than 70% used them to lock up their firearms at home.
Support for LAist comes from
As 150 children came to St. Louis Children’s Hospital with gunshot wounds in 2020, the trauma department put out a basket of free gun locks that October. The “No Questions Asked” basket was placed in a discreet part of the emergency room waiting area so that people wouldn’t stare, but it could still be seen by families.
Nearly 3,000 gun locks have been taken since the program began and it’s since been expanded to other hospital emergency rooms, according to BJC HealthCare. The St. Louis Children's Hospital will even mail a free gun lock to Illinois and Missouri residents through their online request form.
How would it work in L.A. County?
The small, handheld locks will be stored in containers at county hospitals and medical campuses to be taken home after a doctor’s visit. Do not bring your firearm to the hospital, Hahn said — you don’t need to prove you have one to take home a lock.
The L.A. County Office of Violence Prevention, which is under the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Health Services now have 45 days to come up with a plan for the free gun locks.
Officials will need to figure out how many hospitals would participate, how many locks they’d need, and how they’ll be distributed. The departments will also need to develop educational campaigns and identify any resources needed to purchase the locks.
Where else can you get gun locks?
Gun locks have been given away for free at gun buyback events in L.A. County, Hahn said.
Support for LAist comes from
You can also get a free cable-style gun lock and safety instructions through Project Childsafe and its local law enforcement partners, like the Hermosa Beach Police Department and the Burbank Police Department.
The California Department of Justice also has a searchable list of approved safety devices with 219 results for cable locks.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist