Albany

City police are distributing free gun locks to coincide with the implementation of a new law requiring gun owners to store their firearms securely.

The locks will be available at Center and South stations, as well as headquarters on Henry Johnson Boulevard.

The law, which passed the Common Council in September and went into effect Jan. 1, is targeted at reducing gun thefts, accidental shootings — often by children — suicides and crimes of passion, said its sponsor, 7th Ward Councilwoman Cathy Fahey.

"If we can save one life, we can make a difference," Fahey said.

It requires that any firearm be locked in a safe or otherwise disabled when it is in a home and outside the owner's "immediate possession and control."

First offenses will be violations carrying a fine of $250 or up to 15 days in jail so long as no one is injured or killed. A second offense — or first that causes injury or death — will be a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and year in jail

Mayor Kathy Sheehan called the law a common sense step to improve public safety that should not be controversial.

"This is about responsible gun ownership," Sheehan said. "This is important legislation to, number one, educate people about the importance of gun safety and then say, 'We're going to put some teeth in this because it is that important to our community.'"

Police Chief Brendan Cox said officers plan to enforce the law primarily through education and sought to tamp down concerns by gun owners that police would actively seek to inspect people's gun safes — but he noted officers will have discretion to issue violations if they spot them.

"We're not looking to be going into people's homes and find out if they're complying," Cox said. "We really want to push the education on this."

Cox said the practical definition of "immediate possession and control" could vary from "in your hand, on your person, within reaching distance" depending on the unique circumstances of each case — including whether there is anybody else in the home at the time.

Gun rights advocates contend laws like Albany's only punish responsible gun owners who are already the most likely to be following the law and handling their weapons safely, while others argue safe storage laws are unconstitutional.

Albany joins Rochester, Buffalo, New York City and Westchester County among the communities with some version of a safe storage law on the books in New York as gun safety advocates continue to push for a statewide requirement named for Nicholas Naumkin, a 12-year-old Wilton boy slain by a playmate in 2010.

That law passed the Assembly last year but stalled in the state Senate.

"We wanted to start with Albany because it's the seat of government," said Leah Gunn Barrett, executive director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said the local legislative efforts.

Barrett said at least 174 children were killed in unintentional shootings in 2015, according to statistics culled by advocates from media accounts, with another 415 injured.

"Eventually," she said, "I'm confidant, we will get a statewide law."

jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com • 518-454-5445 • @JCEvangelist_TU