TAYLORSVILLE -- Some of Salt Lake County's top law enforcers stood side by side on Wednesday to help promote gun safety.
The group stood with the president and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Joe Bartozzi, at the Utah Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Identification building to announce the countywide launch of "Project ChildSafe Salt Lake." About 2,000 gunlocks will be passed out for free at various locations throughout the county as part of the campaign.
Project ChildSafe was founded in 1999 and promotes "safe firearm handling and responsible gun ownership with a focus on securely storing firearms when they're not in use," Bartozzi said. The group has passed out free gun locks in all 50 states.
"Secure storage, including the use of gunlocks, is the No. 1 way to prevent firearm-related accidents, misuse and suicide," he said while noting that particularly in a home setting, it "creates time and distance between individuals struggling with mental health and their firearm."
"I think this is a great idea. If a gun is available, it could be really accessible to someone who is having a mental heath crisis. But if there's a gunlock, it may give them a couple of more minutes to think about it. It doesn't prevent everything. But it could prevent a child from grabbing a gun that may be loaded and use it," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd says 83% of gun-related deaths in Utah are due to suicide, including 74% of veteran suicides.
"When we safely store firearms and limit access in moment of crisis, we give a critical gap in time for someone to get the help that they need," he said. "These locks are a simple way to prevent death."
Redd, Rivera and South Salt Lake Police Chief Danielle Croyle also on Wednesday stressed that the gun locks are just one step to help people in crisis, and that talking with a loved one or seeking help from a suicide hotline should also be done right away.
"Behind every suicide is a family that's impacted," Redd said.
While a cable lock is the best alternative for those who can't afford a gun safe, Rivera says that doesn't mean gun owners with a lock should leave their guns unattended in their cars and think it's OK.
"We continue to see guns being stolen from homes and vehicles. We see accidental shootings and an increased number of incidents where youth are using firearms to commit crimes," she said. "Secure firearm storage is one of the most effective ways to reduce these risks.
"Storing a firearm securely doesn't take much time or effort. But it can prevent tragedies."
Free gun locks will be handed out Thursday starting at 11 a.m. at The Pentecostals of Salt Lake, 1235 W. California Ave.; the South South Salt Lake Central Park Community Center, 2797 S. 200 East; Wasatch Front Baptist Church, 140 W. 2100 South; and the Salt Lake County Government Center, 2001 S. State Street.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or exhibiting warning signs, call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 which is answered 24/7/365 by crisis counselors at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. All calls to legacy crisis hotlines, including the old National Suicide Prevention hotline, 1-800-273-8255, will also connect to a crisis care worker at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute as well.
Counties in Utah provide services for mental health and substance use disorders. Centers are run by the thirteen Local Mental Health and Substance Use Authorities all across the state and offer therapy, substance use disorder treatment, support groups, mobile services, youth treatment, and more.