In the military
at least in the Air Force, the Security Forces folks (police in the air force) keep their weapons locked in an armory when they're not actively on patrol. In fact, they urge anybody living on base to put their weapons in the armory as well (airmen in the dorms aren't given a choice, they have to)
~~~)-Steven----
"I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country..."
General George S. Patton