The City of Seattle is seeing an uncharacteristic increase in gun crime and gun violence. And due to this, the Seattle Police Department provides the following suggestions for firearm safety, and for gun violence prevention. This was sent by Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner. North Precinct’s CPC position is still vacant, pending background check (there’s a big backlog of checks right now).
Storage
As a firearm owner, is it their responsibility to ensure that guns in their home are always stored where they are inaccessible to children or other unauthorized persons. Never leave a firearm in your vehicle unattended and always store firearms safety in your home. Safe storage is employing precautions and multiple safeguards that provide an additional barrier against unauthorized use. Guidelines for safe storage include: unloaded firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, safe, gun vault or storage case, gun locking devices render firearms inoperable, if firearms are disassembled- parts should be securely stored in separate locations, ammunition should be stored in a locked location separate from firearms and thoroughly double check firearms to confirm they are unloaded anytime they are removed from storage. The choice to keep a firearm in your home for sporting purposes, a collection or for self-protection is a serious responsibility. Gun owners must be committed to obtaining the appropriate training and have a clear understanding of safe handling and storage rules to achieve the intended personal safety benefits. SPD provides free firearm cable locks to assist with safe storage! Reach out to Jennifer directly if you are interested in this offer! Contact info is at bottom.
Safe Handling
The next general topic under firearm safety is safe handling. It is often said that there are four cardinal rules of firearm handling. These four rules are: (1) always treat every firearm as though it is loaded, (2) always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, (3) keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot, and (4) always be sure of your target and what is in front of it and behind it (when safely shooting at a range). Nearly all firearm accidents in the home can be prevented simply by always handling firearms using these four rules and by making sure that guns are kept unloaded and locked up, with ammunition secured in a separate location.
Record Keeping/Reporting
A few other important things to remember about firearms involve record keeping and immediate reporting. When a firearm is purchased, it is crucial that the new owner records the serial number(s) and keeps these records in a safe place. In the unfortunate situation that your firearm is lost or stolen, it is absolutely imperative that you report this to the police immediately by calling 911! When reporting, be sure to state where the firearm was lost/stolen, when this happened, what type of firearm it is and provide law enforcement with the serial number(s).
What to Do If You – Hear Gunshots or Find an Unattended Firearm
It is important to quickly be able to distinguish gunfire from other less lethal sounds. The faster you can identify the sound, the faster you can respond. If you hear gunshots- stay calm, get to a safe place, immediately call 911 and provide the call-taker with as much information as possible. If you find a firearm- call 911 immediately and inform them you found an unattended firearm, DO NOT TOUCH the firearm and wait with the firearm until police arrive. Please remember to follow all instructions given to you by the call-taker and the responding police officers.
Jennifer’s contact information:
Email address: Jennifer.Danner@seattle.gov
Desk phone number: (206) 256-6820
Cell phone number: (206) 471-2849
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