‘Complacency Leads To Accidents:’ Sheriff Stresses Firearm Safety

Bucks County officials are reminding residents of firearm safety measures and suicide prevention resources.

At the Bucks County Commissioners’ meeting Wednesday, Sheriff Danny Ceisler shared a message focused on firearm storage, safe handling, and the state’s concealed carry laws.

Ceisler, an attorney and U.S. Army veteran, asked gun owners to lock up their weapons and store them separate from ammunition.

In an effort to help residents, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office is offering free gun locks.

“If you come to the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, we are happy to provide gun locks free of charge,” Ceisler said.

For home defense weapons, Ceisler recommended using a keypad or biometric fingerprint lockbox. He stated that secure storage is key when minors are present.

“If you have children at home, it is absolutely essential that you either keep all of your guns completely locked with one of those gun locks or in some sort of safe lock,” Ceisler said.

The sheriff warned that improper storage can carry legal ramifications, adding that negligence can lead to civil liability.

For vehicle storage, Ceisler advised against using standard glove boxes or trunks and recommended instead using a bolted-down lockbox to prevent thefts.

Ceisler based his recommendations on his background as a soldier who has seen firearm damage and as a lawyer who has represented over 100 people injured in unintentional shootings.

“Nobody ever thinks that they are going to be the one that has the accident,” Ceisler said. “Everybody believes they are doing things safely, but really it is complacency that often leads to people having accidents.”

The sheriff outlined four “golden rules” for safe firearm handling: treat every gun as if it is loaded; never point the muzzle at anything you do not intend to shoot; keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot; and always know your target and what is behind it.

Ceisler reminded residents that Pennsylvania requires a license to carry a firearm, whether it is on a person or inside a vehicle. Unlicensed carrying is punishable by up to five years in prison.

“Get your license to carry if you plan to carry,” Ceisler said, adding that residents can apply online or at sheriff’s offices in Doylestown Borough and Bristol Township.

The safety message comes amid the county’s efforts to distribute information cards for the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline through gun shops and community groups.

The sheriff’s office is helping distribute the cards.

“Within a 24-hour period, we had three people take their lives with a gun in Bucks County,” said Commissioner Chairperson Diane Ellis-Marseglia. “We have 82 people around a year complete suicide in Bucks County and the majority are with firearms and the majority are men over age 55.”

Hours after Ellis-Marseglia’s statement, another suicide using a gun happened at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem Township.

Data from the Bucks County Coroner’s Office shows the county recorded 82 completed suicides in 2025, 101 in 2024, 86 in 2023, 86 in 2022, and 91 in 2021.

Ellis-Marseglia said the public can help distribute the 9-8-8 cards to churches, social clubs, and other local organizations.

“We try to get these cards out so people have them and they know that they can call 9-8-8,” she said.

The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential service operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phone call or text message.