Gun safety in the home; Cape Girardeau Police Dept. gives tips

Cape Girardeau Police Department has the tips you need to know.

Rich McCall, the Training Coordinator with the Cape Girardeau Police Department said, “Owning a gun in the home, one, the parents need to know what they’re doing with the firearm.”

Officer McCall recommends parents take a fire safety class, “Once the parents understand the dangers of the firearm, then they have to decide how they’re going to secure the firearms within the house.”

Officer McCall says that knowing the personalities of each child within your home helps to gauge the necessary precautions you would need to take on educating and keeping the weaponry locked up: “Generally speaking you’ll be safe if you lock them up. Not only for the safety of the children in the home but for firearm theft.”

When it comes to firearms theft another area of property that needs to be taken into consideration is within your vehicle.

“That’s if you leave a firearm inside your car and the car gets broken into, That’s your responsibility as a firearms owner,” said McCall.

According to the National Rifle Association guns are involved in 0.25% of accidental deaths among the total population and 1.4% among children.

“You’re responsible for everything, everything that happens with that firearm, and to that firearm. treat it with absolute respect and make sure it doesn’t end up in the hands of the wrong person,” said McCall.