Lexington Police join campaign to help promote gun safety

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — The Lexington Police Department is joining a campaign to remind gun owners to practice gun safety.
They are joining the International Associations of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the one and only, Shaquille O’Neal.

The campaign is called “Right to Carry, Duty to Secure.”
And, it is not just the Lexington Police Department, other agencies across the country also joining the efforts to remind gun owners to practice firearm safety and keep their guns secure.
In Lexington, from the beginning of the year until the end of July, 190 firearms were reported stolen.
163 of the 190 firearms were taken from vehicles.

“People have the right to carry a firearm, they also should take on the responsibility to safely secure it when they’re not carrying it. When you park your vehicle in your driveway or on the side of the road, when you go in at the end of your work day, take that firearm with you, secure it in a location, especially if you have children or children may be in your house, secure it in a location, a safe, use a gun lock that can go through the firearm so it can’t be fired. If you have children, store the ammunition away from the firearm so it makes it a little bit harder,” said Sgt. Guy Miller, with the Lexington Police Department.

Sgt. Miller adds that it is important to have conversations with your child and family about gun safety.

To learn more about the Right to Carry, Duty to Secure Campaign, visit www.theiacp.org/.