LA County Explores Giving Away Free Gun Locks At Hospitals and Medical Campuses

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.

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.

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.

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.