SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Police Department is now providing free gun locks to any residents who would like them.

The department announced on Sept. 20 that there would be free gun locks available at the police station. These gun locks are provided by Project Childsafe at no cost to the department or local taxpayers. Project Childsafe works nationally with the firearm industry to promote gun safety in communities.

Along with the gun locks, there are two brochures available. One discusses firearm responsibility in the home, including a home safety checklist, and details the risks of owning a firearm. The other brochure is labeled “Firearms and Suicide Prevention” and it informs the reader about warning signs of poor mental health, and how that correlates with gun safety.

“This is a benefit to the entire community and public safety in general,” Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte said.

Many people own guns locally, and it only takes one mistake for something tragic to happen, Perrote says. An accident with a child, or even an adult, is possible — according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 549 people died in 2021 from gun-related accidents. The majority of gun-related deaths in the U.S. each year are mental health related, however — according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 54% of all gun-related deaths in 2021 were suicides. A gun lock could help prevent mental illness-related injury to oneself or others.

“A delay in access may mean the time for intervention techniques and resources,” said Perrotte. “These gun locks, coupled with other measures such as proper safes, ensure that these firearms don’t get into the wrong hands and cannot be used whether intentionally or accidentally to harm someone.”

The Tupper Lake Police Department has offered free gun locks in the past, but only had a few takers while they were advertised. Still, the department has a collection of them that are still available to the public upon request. The Lake Placid Police Department has a similar program, too — gun locks are available to the public upon request.

If you or someone you know is in need of mental health assistance, know help is available. The New York State Office of Mental Health has resources on its website (omh.ny.gov/omhweb/bootstrap/crisis.html) or you can call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.