Denver Police are reminding people that leaving an unsecured gun in a car isn’t just unsafe, it’s now illegal.
State House Bill 24-1348, which Colorado Ceasefire lobbied strongly for last year, took effect on Jan. 1. This bill prohibits knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the handgun is stored in a locked, hard-sided container that is not left in plain view or that is in the locked trunk. A firearm that is not a handgun must be stored out of view in a locked vehicle in a locked, soft-sided or locked, hard-sided container. If the firearm is in a soft-sided container, a locking device must be affixed.
To date, DPD has not issued any citations for violation of the law. Violations are a civil infraction with a maximum fine of $500.
Denver police say in 2024, 550 firearms were reported stolen from vehicles in Denver. As of April 30, 98 firearms have been reported stolen from vehicles. Also in 2024, 2,160 illegal guns were removed from Denver’s streets by DPD.
