a. Firearms are potentially dangerous since it is their function to discharge a projectile at a significantly high velocity. They can cause serious injury or death if misused or improperly used.

b. Firearms on their own are inanimate objects. Unbothered by humans, firearms will do no more than sit there and collect dust and rust. However, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the firearm is handled and used properly to alleviate potential disaster.

c. As a law enforcement officer, firearms safety is always your responsibility. You cannot "pass the buck" on responsibility just because you are not the owner of the firearm. "To Serve and Protect" means all the time.

a. Many states have enacted laws that mandate the safe storage of firearms and place the responsibility on the owner. They also provide for criminal and civil penalties against those who fail to do so.

b. Most law enforcement agencies have internal policies that mandate the same provisions for safe firearms storage. The U.S. Treasury Department has just such a policy that covers safe firearms storage in the government office, residence and vehicle. Lock boxes and gunlocks are provided to each agent to ensure compliance with this policy. At quarterly firearms training, each agent must read this policy, among others, and sign the last page of the score sheet confirming that the policy was read and understood.

c. Never store ammunition at the same location as the firearm. Store in a separate location and secure place.

a. You must understand how that particular firearm operates so that you are able to use it properly, and to ensure it is cleared and safe when not in use.

a. An amazing number of people are accidentally shot by unloaded firearms. The only thing that was not loaded was the "brain housing group" of the person who failed to properly handle the firearm.

b. By treating every firearm as if it were loaded, accidents can be eliminated.

c Never take anyone else’s word that the firearm is unloaded, always check for yourself.

a. Never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot, regardless whether it is loaded or not.

b. This is particularly important when loading, unloading or field stripping the firearm.

a. This aspect is also covered by many law enforcement-training protocols and is repeated in Use of Force policies.

b. Your firearm cannot fire unless the trigger is pulled. Also ensure that other objects, such as those found on an officer’s gun belt, do not actuate the trigger.

c. This will help to alleviate an accidental shooting by an officer involved in a physical arrest who may experience a sympathetic muscular reaction by his gun hand.

a. In practice or training, be sure that there is a sufficient backstop to prevent the bullet from traveling unobstructed downrange.

b. A backstop should be free of rocks, hard surfaces, ice or water that could cause ricochets.

c. Do not fire into the sky. What goes up always comes down. Really.

a. Safeties are mechanical devices and can break.

b. Safety devices and gunlocks are poor substitutes for safe firearm handling practices.

a. In few instances ammunition does interchange, simply because the cases are so similar and there are no pressure problems (i.e., .38 specials fired in .357 magnum revolvers are OK, but not visa versa).

b. Firearms are pressure tested by the manufacturer. Commercial ammunition and firearms are manufactured according to industry specifications.

c. Failing to match up the right ammunition for a particular firearm can be catastrophic. Don’t do it.

a. Firearms are designed to operate within limited pressure constraints.

b. If a cartridge is fired with an obstruction in the barrel, the pressures are raised to incredible levels, beyond what the firearm was designed to support.

c. The results are often fatal.

a. Use hard ear muffs because they offer the greatest amount of protection.

b. Use safety glasses designed and approved by OSHA for maximum eye protection.

a. If repairs or modifications are needed, seek the services of a licensed gunsmith or armorer who is familiar with that particular weapon system.

b. Do not have any of the manufacturer’s safety devices removed or deactivated. To do so invites considerable liability. For law enforcement officers, it would be against agency policy.

c. For law enforcement officers, the repair of a service weapon must follow agency policy. Learn what it is and comply accordingly.