Little of that ongoing discussion addresses the unique concerns of those who must carry firearms for a living. Their families face the same concerns as those of any weekend warrior, but, since law enforcement officers have little choice about where, when, and whether to carry a gun, they could be the perfect population to study firearms safety.

Photo Credit: Office of Training and Development

Contents of a lockbox are secured to help prevent possible injury to family members.

And, as it happens, they are a good population. Consider this hard evidence from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's armed officers: In June 2002, the former Customs Service, now part of CBP, purchased firearm lockboxes for every armed officer. Over a 10-month period, from August 2002 though June 2003, CBP's Firearms and Tactical Training Division (FTTD) distributed 15,000 lockboxes to armed officers worldwide.

Most officers have responded positively to these boxes. The officers like the quality and versatility of the new lockboxes. Here's how they work and what they do: They're Kevlar-hardened-that's the stuff they use in bulletproof vests-composite black cases that will not chip or dent. They are for universal use in all environments: home, office, vehicle and hotel. They have a handle for carrying, a primary key lock that opens with a key and a secondary combination lock that users can change or reset, like computer passwords, and a built-in red light so you can find the lock easily in the dark. The boxes are lined with foam and are big enough to accommodate two handguns and four ammunition magazines. They can also hold the officer's badge, wallet, handcuffs, keys, and other sensitive items. And they have three mounting brackets so they can be secured in personal or government vehicles. Last but not least, they meet Transportation Security Administration and Federal Aviation Administration requirements for storage of checked luggage.

Overall, these features provide armed officers with safe firearm storage. These lockboxes better store and protect the firearm(s) from unauthorized access in the home setting, especially focusing on curious children. These boxes send a strong message that safe firearm storage is a good way to keep the officers' families secure.

In addition, CBP has experienced a decrease of over 75 percent in lost and stolen firearms from January-August 2003, compared to previous years. This reduction is especially impressive since it occurred in the middle of the distribution project. Although there have been storage policy improvements and several safety advisories distributed to armed officers, the FTTD believes that the distribution of the new firearm lockboxes has played a significant role in the recent reductions.

The Office of Inspector General (Treasury) and General Accounting Office have recently conducted audits regarding firearms policy and procedures that focused on safety and security in the federal government (prior to the lockbox distribution). Even though the former Customs Service received positive evaluations for its program during these inspections, the benefits of the firearm lockboxes are expected to only increase our performance as a leading agency in the federal government.

Because of the benefits, FTTD plans to distribute the same firearm lockboxes to all CBP armed officers. Additional firearm lockboxes may be purchased from the vendor at less-expensive bulk order price.

If you have any questions regarding firearms storage or the firearm lockboxes, please feel free to contact the FTTD at 202.927.FTTD.