Free gun locks now available at every Michigan health department office

Michigan to provide free gun locks at MDHHS county offices

Children are increasingly gaining access to unsecured guns at home – often leading to fatal consequences. As a result, all counties in Michigan will now offer free gunlocks.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - A state-funded partnership is aiming to prevent further gun violence in Michigan homes by making cable-style gun locks available for free in every local health department office.

"Gun violence has been increasing in Michigan and across the United States," said the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Elizabeth Hertel, during the announcement of the effort on Friday.

The partnership, between Michigan State Police and the MDHHS, further supports compliance with the safe storage gun law that went into effect on Feb. 13 – which requires unattended firearms to be unloaded and secured with a cable lock, or stored in a gun safe, if a minor is present.

"Every child deserves safety. Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up and achieve their dreams," Hertel said. "Gun violence is preventable, and preventing the epidemic of gun violence has become a matter of public health."

A recent increase in children gaining access to unsecured guns at home has led to several fatal shootings in the state, including the Oxford High School shooting when the parents of the shooter took questionable measures to secure the three firearms in the home.

In December 2023, a five-year-old boy in Detroit was killed by an unsecured gun. Investigators said he was jumping up and down on a bed when he grabbed a loaded gun off a nearby dresser and accidentally shot himself.

In another incident, a two-year-old Howell child accidentally shot and killed himself with an unsecured gun in June 2023; he was the son of a Dearborn police corporal.

"With this funding, we have purchased 75,000 cable-style gun locks, from Project Childsafe, that will be available for free at MDHHS county offices, and local health departments statewide," said Col. James Grady II, the director of MSP.

MSP's 2024 fiscal year budget included the expense of the gun locks, which amounted to $500,000.

"Michigan residents can visit their local MDHHS office to request one of the free gun locks while supplies last, and they can also check with their local health department, some of which will have gun locks available," according to MSP.

If a child does get access to a gun, there are varying punishments for the owner depending on the outcome:

If the minor possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or possesses or exhibits the firearm in the presence of another person in a careless, reckless or threatening manner: a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 93 days or a fine of up to $500, or both.
If the minor discharges the firearm and injures themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts serious impairment of a body function on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to $7,500, or both.
If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts death on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

"MDHHS employees who make home visits will also be able to access gun locks if a client has a need or wants to request one," Hertel said. "No questions asked. Pick up a lock at no cost to you and help keep your family and your children safe."