Got a Gun? Get A Lock!

If you own a gun, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal wants you to put a lock on it.

The Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the City Council President Darrell Clarke, are committed to distributing gun locks to gun owners in Philadelphia to promote safe firearm containment practices and prevent gun accidents, theft and misuse.

Using a gun lock is easy. Simply remove the loose end of the cable from the padlock and thread it through your unloaded firearm as shown on the included instruction sheet. With the key turned to the farthest clockwise position, insert the loose end of the cable into the padlock. Then turn the key counterclockwise and remove the key. Check that the cable is secure. Your gun is now locked and safe. Make sure you store your key and ammunition someplace away from the gun.

To receive a gun lock, you can either pick one up at the front desk of the Sheriff’s Office on the 5th Floor of 100 S. Broad Street between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or call our hotline number at 215-686-3572. Leave your name, number and address and someone from the Sheriff’s Office will quickly be in touch with you.

One Solution to Gun Violence

Attorney General-Elect Josh Shapiro hosted an event Tuesday to learn more about gun violence in the Philadelphia area.

Shapiro presided over a conference table at a health clinic in North Philadelphia. Seated closest to him were some of the city’s bold-faced names, including Police Commissioner Richard Ross, District Attorney Seth Williams and Council President Darrell Clarke. Elsewhere around the table were leaders of various organizations, such as Mothers In Charge, CeaseFirePA, and Father’s Day Rally Committee, who have been working on this issue for years.

“Where are these guns coming from? We need to know,” Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFirePA said. “That data exists. It is hidden behind some walls. We have the power to work with police jurisdictions across the state to get it.”

Shapiro could not guarantee more funding for these groups, but he said he would like the state attorney general’s office to work more closely with them and “get them rowing in the same direction.” He also wants to collect the missing data on how illegal guns used in crimes are trafficked in the state.

“I was stunned at the number of guns that are coming from Pennsylvania that were on that chart,” Shapiro said. “I think it’s important that we gather that data in Pennsylvania as well.”

Shapiro also said he wants to expand the Philadelphia gun violence task force and push for a statewide requirement to report lost and stolen guns.

Written by Jeff Dempsey for CeaseFirePA.


About the Office of The Sheriff of Philadelphia
As the pandemic continues, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office wants to ensure that Philadelphia residents can remain in their homes, which is why the Sheriff’s Office supports any programs that help residents. It is important that Philadelphia residents contact the Sheriff’s Office if they believe they have been illegally evicted by someone who was impersonating a Deputy Sheriff. The Sheriff’s Office will also continue to host food giveaways and virtual town halls to answer any questions that residents may have. If there are any questions that a resident may have, they can reach out to the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office at 215-686-3560 or 215-686-3542.
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