Gun Safety in Chicago
Gun Locks for Gun Safety
CDPH urges residents to stay vigilant if they own firearms. Gun locks are a safe and effective way to prevent suicides and unintentional shootings, especially among children and teens. Gun locks are available at no cost in CDPH vending machines, CDPH Clinics, select CPD district stations, and at select Chicago Public Libraries. Nonprofits and community-based organizations can also request gun locks from Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) by completing this form.
Using a Gun Lock
Practicing De-escalation When Things Get Heated
- Higher temperatures can understandably increase discomfort and trigger anger and irritability.
- More social events mean more potential for conflicts to escalate.
- When things get heated, take a breath and a step back, remove yourself from any situation that feels unsafe.
- Practice safe conflict resolution and model this behavior for your children.
- Make a plan with your kids on how to respond when things get heated.
- If you own guns, keep them unloaded, locked, and securely stored.
- Stay vigilant of large gatherings and supervise youth's whereabouts.
- Contact 911 at the first indication of violence or conflict escalation.
Gun Lock Distribution Locations
Gun locks are available at police stations in the 4th, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 14th, and 15th police districts and at select Chicago Public Library locations. Each Chicago Public Library branch that carries gun locks is mentioned below:
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| Austin Branch, Chicago Public Library | 5615 W. Race Ave. |
| Douglass Branch, Chicago Public Library | 3353 W. 13th St. |
| Humboldt Park Branch, Chicago Public Library | 1605 N. Troy St. |
| Kelly Branch, Chicago Public Library | 6151 S. Normal Blvd. |
| Legler Regional Library, Chicago Public Library | 115 S Pulaski Rd. |
| Little Village Branch, Chicago Public Library | 2311 S. Kedzie Ave. |
| North Austin Branch, Chicago Public Library | 5724 W. North Ave. |
| North Pulaski Branch, Chicago Public Library | 4300 W. North Ave. |
| Pullman Branch, Chicago Public Library | 11001 S. Indiana Ave. |
| Richard M. Daley Branch, Chicago Public Library | 733 N. Kedzie Ave. |
| South Shore Branch, Chicago Public Library | 2505 E. 73rd St. |
| Toman Branch, Chicago Public Library | 2708 S. Pulaski Rd. |
| West Chicago Avenue Branch, Chicago Public Library | 4856 W. Chicago Ave. |
| West Englewood Branch, Chicago Public Library | 1745 W. 63rd St. |
Gun Safety Workshops & Trauma-informed Trainings
Gun safety awareness workshops will be organized May through August in various locations around Chicago at no cost. At these workshops, residents can learn how gun violence impacts our communities, receive lifesaving “Stop the Bleed” trainings to respond to a gun injury, get information on where to anonymously turn in unwanted firearms, and get gun locks for free.
At trauma-informed trainings, individuals can learn about and understand trauma, assess its impact, learn techniques to deal with complex situations and people, and day-to-day conflict handling and de-escalation. Workshops are offered both virtually and in-person.
A full schedule for all offerings can be found in the calendar below:
