Hartselle Police Sgt. Randy Adams assists Nedra Smith as she fires a handgun at Falkville Firing Range Saturday. | Clif Knight

Hartselle Police Department in cooperation with the Hartselle Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association conducted a four-hour gun safety class at the HPD Special Services Division facility on Saturday.

The class was attended by 12 handgun owners, two of whom graduated from the Hartselle Citizens Police Academy Thursday night.

Sgt. Randy Adams, a 16-year HPD veteran and certified firearms instructor, taught the class with the assistance of Lt. Linda Fox.

“This is an introductory course designed to give the gun owner the knowledge and skills he or she needs to safely operate a firearm,” Adams said. “We’ve had about 60 gun owners go through the class during the past two years. Some of the class members are new gun owners and have no experience firing a handgun. A class like this can help remove any fear they may have about handling, loading and firing a gun.”

“We started sponsoring the class as a service to the community,” said Myron Thompson, a Citizens Police Academy alumnus. “The fact that so many people have been licensed to purchase handguns in recent years created a need for gun safety classes at the local level. We’re fortunate in Hartselle to have a facility like this and the police officers qualified to provide the instruction.”

Adams recommended that every home have a safe room where family members can go and be safe in the event someone is attempting to break in.

“If a stranger comes to your door and asks to come in and use your phone to report an emergency, don’t let them in,” Adams said. “Call the police. That’s what they’re there for. Assemble family members in the safe room and hit the panic button on your car. The noise will alert your neighbors and enable the police to reach you in a timely manner.”

Adams said the safe room should have a lock box containing a handgun, charged cell phone, flashlight, fire extinguisher and an extra set of car keys.

“Don’t go looking for the intruder,” he said. “You may have to shoot if they try to break into the safe room.”

Adams offered the following gun safety tips for the home:

•All guns should be loaded and secured in a lock box.

•Never let the muzzle of a gun be pointed at anything that you are not willing to destroy.

•Keep you finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire.

•Know your target and what is beyond it.

•Check firearms to ensure they’re unloaded every time you handle them.

•Use hollow point ammo for self-defense.

Adams also cautioned homeowners about leaving doors open when no family member is inside.

“Criminals aren’t normal people,” Adams said. “They look at an open door as an invitation to go inside.”

He also advised families to leave a light on inside when they’re away and to adjust window blinds so that the interior of the home isn’t visible from the outside.

Adams demonstrated the proper handling of firearms, including loading and unloading, malfuctions and point shooting.

His last hour of the class was devoted to live fire shooting at  the firing range.