Huntingburg police offer citizens firearm safety course

Huntingburg police will offer a Citizens Firearm Safety Course this summer as a hands-on effort to prevent accidents, improve secure storage and give residents a structured place to learn the basics of responsible gun ownership. The timing matters: Indiana Department of Health data show firearm injuries accounted for 19% of injury deaths in the state in 2023, including 64% of suicides and 84% of homicides.

The class is scheduled for July 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Huntingburg Police Department and the Huntingburg Firearms Range. Law-enforcement firearms instructors will lead the course, which will cover firearm safety fundamentals, safe handling and storage, basic firearm operation, situational awareness, responsibility and range safety. The format is designed to go beyond a lecture and give participants practical instruction in settings where safe habits matter most.

Enrollment comes with clear requirements. Participants must be 21 or older and pass a background check. They must bring their own pistol with a holster, 200 rounds of ammunition and eye and ear protection. The registration form says ammunition will be inspected and reloads should not be brought. The fee is $30, collected on the first day by cash or check. The department also said it plans to keep a running list of interested people and host multiple courses per year.

The course fits a broader local public-safety strategy that leans on prevention as much as enforcement. In June 2025, Huntingburg’s city council unanimously approved a lease addendum allowing civilian firearms safety training at the airport firing range through the end of 2025. Chief Brad Kramer had asked for the change so civilians could take part in the program, and the city, not the airport, was set to handle liability insurance for the events. That move gave the department a formal path to expand training for residents who want instruction before handling firearms on their own.

The emphasis on storage also mirrors state guidance. The Indiana Department of Education and Indiana State Police advise keeping firearms unloaded and locked in a safe separate from ammunition, especially in homes where children are present. For Huntingburg police, the new course is a practical way to turn that advice into routine habit, one class at a time.