A new law signed by Governor Cuomo on Tuesday aims to prevent kids from having access to guns in homes. People caught in violation could face a criminal charge if weapons are not safely stored and kept away from young people who don’t have a proper hunting license or permit.

Gates Police Chief James VanBrederode said his department responded to two incidents involving young kids with loaded firearms in the last two weeks. 

“People do leave their guns out,” said VanBrederode. “They leave them insecure in a care and unfortunately this is how a lot of guns get out on the streets and then they are used in a shooting or a crime."

The chief also has a message for parents when it comes to locking up their guns and properly storing them away:

"It all starts with the parents being responsible for their kids, and again we aren't here to be the bad guys,” said VanBrederode. “We are here to do whatever it takes to wake them up and get them to think more reasonably. If you have a pistol in your house, you always want to try and keep the ammunition separate from the gun."

Local gun shop owner Chris Martello of Ikkin Arms says there are a lot of inexpensive options out there to ensure that your gun is safe.

"I have bars on the window of my store,” said Martello. “It doesn't say anything by the federal government that I have to have that, but I take a proactive stance that I want to keep firearms from being in peoples bad hands."

Martello offers a few tips on how to properly lock away your ammunition.

“It can be put in a safe, or a trigger lock or a cable lock,” said Martello. “This [[new law]] now means that you must have a lock for every single gun in your home if you have a child who is 16 years of age or younger.”

Martello says that although gun safety practices should be common sense, he backs the amendment of safe storage laws and hopes this week’s law is simply reinforcement.