Cedar Rapids police to give away gun locks

The Cedar Rapids Police Department is joining a national program that provides free gun locks to residents. Sergeant Christy Hamblin says they’ll hand out one thousand of the locks at various events in the coming weeks.She says the department is not advocating gun ownership, they’re simply asking people that have guns to keep them safe. Hamblin says the gunlocks are provided free of charge through “Project Homesafe,” a program that’s partially funded by the U-S Justice Department.The locks won’t keep someone from breaking into a home and stealing a gun, but she says hopefully they’ll help reduce accidental shootings. Like any preventative measure, Hamblin says gun owners have to take the initiative to use the locks. She says any lock is only good if it’s properly used, and it’s up to gun owners to use them. Hamblin faces the issue at home, as a police officer she has to lock up her gun from her kids. Hamblin says any success makes the effort worthwhile, and if they can prevent one death, it’s worth the effort.