Biometric safe. It reads your finger prints
Posted on 12/29/2007 8:28:14 AM PST by marktwain
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office recommends that anyone who owns a firearm use a child safety lock if there’s any chance of children being in a home where guns are kept.
The issue of children and gun safety was highlighted this week after a Washington County sheriff’s deputy and his wife were charged with child endangerment after leaving their 8-year-old child home alone with several guns laying about. At least a few of the guns were loaded and although the safeties were on, none were equipped with gun locks.
Most weapons have safety locks, but Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said that it would not be difficult for a child to deactivate the safety mechanism on most hand guns.
“Some service revolvers do not have safeties,” he said. “All you have to do is pull the trigger. Most shotguns and rifles have safeties, but they can be deactivated by someone who is not familiar with the weapon.”
Mincks said there were two incidents of a handgun accidentally discharging and injuring someone in the last year. Both involved juveniles.
“We only do an investigation if there is a discharge and the projectile hits someone,” Mincks said. “We do not have any way of determining how many accidental discharges there were when the projectile does not strike anyone.”
An internal affairs investigation into the case of Deputy Jeffrey R. Morris began today. He has been placed on paid administrative leave. An internal affairs officer independent of the local sheriff’s office will interview several members of the department, as well as Morris himself. Once the investigation is over, the department will decide if Morris violated any department rules and, if so, what disciplinary actions are necessary. Mincks said he expects the situation to be resolved in less than a week.
Gun safety locks are available at the sheriff’s office, and the department hands them out at several different events throughout the year, including the Washington County Fair.
The lock works by placing a cable behind the trigger so that the weapon cannot be discharged. The number of gun owners in Washington County wasn’t immediately available, but the sheriff’s office has issued concealed carry permits to 650 individuals in the county.
Among the weapons found in the home with the boy was a semiautomatic AR-15 high capacity rifle all sheriff’s deputies are authorized to carry, as well as a rifle and a shotgun. Morris’ service revolver and another gun were out but were not loaded.
Many children, some as young as five years old, have used guns to defend themselves and their family from homicide and rape in the home.
I had no trouble leaving my guns available to my children once they were six years old, but each child must be considered individualy.
Some six year olds are responsible enough, some 15 year olds may not be. It is insane for the state to lay down a blanket prohibition here.
Why did they not refer to the AR-15 as an “Assault Weapon”? Aren’t they made to kill as many people as fast as possible?
A weapon is simply another tool to aid in making life a bit easier. In the case of the gun ... to make life more certain.
Teach your children well.
Because it was owned by a police officer. This magically transforms it into a “patrol carbine”.
Safest place to store a handgun is in a retention holster on your hip.
Firearms do not “accidentally” discharge. Someone pulls the trigger.
If there are small children in the home, firearms belong in two places. Loaded and holstered on your person, or secured and unloaded.
There is still no substitute for firearms training for children — starting with “don’t touch” and working up to safe and ethical use of firearms as they grow older.
“Pardon me, Mr. Home Invader. Would you please cease and desist for a minute or two while I remove the lock from my weapon?”
Who was in the deputy’s’ home while they were out and why were they there and how did they get in?
The best safety feature is proper instruction, not government intrusion in private matters.
Gun locks and unloaded firearms are like bringing a rock to a gun fight.
Well, obviously a sheriff’s deputy owns a semi-auto rifle that can accurately “secure” a bad guy at moderate range because the sheriff’s deputy is an “Authorized Person.” Conversely a mere American Citizen can only own an “automatic Assault Weapon” that “sprays bullets” at helpless innocents and can only result in “needless child deaths.”
An unloaded or locked gun is nothing but a finely machined, well oiled club.
Improved safety for criminals.
Biometric safe. It reads your finger prints
That's really not a bad suggestion. When my kids were old enough to properly respect my firearms, I didn't have any qualms about leaving them unlocked and accessible.
My grandchildren are not yet at that level and my guns are always secured whenever they are coming over or if the house will be unattended.
And what were the "gun safety" issues?
Did the kid shoot someone? I was just a year older than Deputy Morris's child when I got my own firearm, which I often left "laying about" in the same room as the ammunition for it.
Just think, some 9 year-old could have gone into my bedroom, loaded the rifle, and shot someone. I'm lucky I wasn't charged with child endangerment.
As long as the Department is only making a “suggestion”, we are alright. When they start to charge people with “child endangerment” based on that opinion, then we are well down the slippery slope of nanny statisim, if not a police state.
I remember now, When I got my Marlin Guide Gun, I replaced the cable Lock with a 45-70 round. Works much better now.
barbra ann
That is quite interesting, isn't it? The article seems to just glide right over that issue of who got in the house with an eight year old? And just what is "laying about?" Makes it sound like there were guns scattered around on the floor like spilled popcorn and beer cans...
The issue of children and gun safety was highlighted this week after a Washington County sheriff’s deputy and his wife were charged with child endangerment after leaving their 8-year-old child home alone with several guns laying about.
Not enough facts here and obvious gaps.
“That’s really not a bad suggestion. When my kids were old enough to properly respect my firearms, I didn’t have any qualms about leaving them unlocked and accessible.”
Notice that the “suggestion” includes all children of all ages at any time under any circumstances. It indiscriminately lumps a visiting 17 year old well trained and disciplined marksman with a 3 year old toddler. I do not think that this lack of discrimination is random. A prime goal of the anti-freedom types is to make the training of children with firearms socially unacceptable.
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