The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with Project Child Safe, is distributing free gun-locking devices.

Project Child Safe is a program whose purpose is to promote safe firearms handling and storage practices among all firearms owners, through the distribution of safety messages and gun-locking devices all over the United States. The goal of this program is to reduce the risk of firearm-related injuries and deaths. Officers say incidents usually occur when an individual, often a child, finds a loaded and unsecured firearm in the residence.

Authorities say an unlocked firearm is an invitation to tragedy.

The free firearm-safety kit, which includes a firearm-locking device, can be obtained while supplies last by stopping by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department in Crossville (located at 90 Justice Center Drive across South Main Street from Cumberland Medical Center). For additional information, call (931) 484-6176.