6-03-2025 4:18am

County Libraries To

Baltimore County Public Library and Department of Health Partner on Free Gun Lock Distribution

Countywide effort is part of a safe firearm storage initiative

TOWSON – June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month and to raise awareness and increase safety for all Baltimore County residents, free gun safety locks will be available through June at all public library branches in Baltimore County*. The program is led by the Baltimore County Department of Health’s Bureau of Behavioral Health (BBH) in partnership with the Baltimore County Public Library system. County residents who are 18 years old and over may receive gun safety locks while supplies last. No proof of residency is required.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2020 and 2024, firearms were used in 29% of suicide deaths among Baltimore County youth. Among Baltimore County residents of all ages, firearms were used in 47% of suicide deaths.

“We don’t often get to hear what happens after we distribute the locks,” said Dr. Lucy E. Wilson, Baltimore County’s Health Officer, “but when we do, it reinforces the need for these types of initiatives and highlights the positive impact programs like this one can have.”

The following story was shared by a parent with Baltimore County Department of Health’s Bureau of Behavioral Health:
“I came home from work and found my child at the front door saying they needed help. I had never seen [them] this upset before and they said a lot of things I am still trying to process but the one thing {they} said was that the gunlock is what stopped them.”

"As a community connector, Baltimore County Public Library is a trusted institution where people from all walks of life are welcomed and included, making us an ideal location to distribute free gun safety locks," said Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, Baltimore County Public Library's CEO. "We are proud to offer this critical resource and want to thank Baltimore County Department of Health for its partnership in creating a safer Baltimore County."

This firearm safe storage initiative is made possible by the Baltimore County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition, and with a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Health.

In addition to receiving a gun lock, gun owners will receive instructions on how to use the gun lock, materials with information about safe gun storage, suicide prevention resources and other valuable information.

For more information and other helpful tools and resources, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you or someone you known needs help, call, text or chat 988 (the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) 24/7/365. Conversations are free and confidential.