Anyone desiring a free gun lock can head to one of the following St. Louis metropolitan locations on Thursday between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. A total of 5,200 gun locks are being made available by Project ChildSafe for giving away throughout the region, according to a Tuesday St. Louis County Police Department news release.

Project ChildSafe is a nationwide program designed to help ensure safe and responsible firearm ownership and storage. It was developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) members, and supported by a U.S. Department of Justice grant. 

The premise of this program is to provide gunlocks and literature concerning gun safety and education to as many citizen gun owners as supplies allow.

To reach the public and distribute the gun locks plus literature, a combination of police officers, citizens and hospital staff will visit high trafficked areas in their respective jurisdictions and distribute gun locks person to person.

The following agencies are providing this service:

Law Enforcement agencies:

• St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
• St. Louis County Police Department
• Jefferson County Sheriff's Department
• St. Charles County Sheriff's Department
• O'Fallon, MO Police Department
• Alton, IL Police Department
• Collinsville, IL Police Department
• Creve Coeur Police Department

Hospitals:

• Children's Hospital
• Barnes-Jewish Hospital
• DePaul Hospital
• Mercy Hospital
• Cardinal Glennon Hospital
• Saint Louis University Hospital

GUN LOCK GIVEAWAY LOCATIONS ON AUG. 16

* St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

• Grand Ave. and Park Ave. (Cardinal Glennon and SLU), St. Louis 63104
• Forest Park Way and Euclid (Children's) St. Louis 63110
• Natural Bridge and Kingshighway, St. Louis 63115

* St. Charles County Sheriff's Department

• Bass Pro Shop, Bass Pro Drive, St Charles, MO 63301

* O'Fallon Missouri Police Department

• Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Drive, O'Fallon, MO 63368
• Extreme Gun Care, 975 West Terra, O'Fallon, MO 63366

* St. Louis County Police Department/Clayton Police Department

• Shop ‘N Save – 196 Mayfair Plaza, 63033
• City of Jennings Headquarters, 5445 Jennings Station Road, 63136

The program itself is designed to be simplistic, straightforward and allows police officers, involved citizens and hospital staff an opportunity to interact with the public in a positive and supporting role, according to its organizers. It also provides an opportunity to be proactive to reduce firearm-related accidents in and out of the home.