Sutherland commander, Superintendent Gavin Dengate, said the inspections started after the state's 160,000 gun owners were invited to surrender firearms during a police amnesty in May.

"Gun owners have a responsibility to ensure their weapons are safely stored at all times when not in use,'' Mr Dengate said.

"Police will be attending the home of every licensed firearm owner in all of the four local area commands over the next few months to inspect every weapon and check the gun safe. Officers will be examining all gun safes to ensure they comply with the legislative requirements, particularly in relation to the standard and security of safes.''

A Sutherland Small Bore Rifle Club member who did not want to be named for security reasons said licensing checks came hand-in-hand with gun ownership.

"They wrote to every licensed holder, told them of the amnesty and told them what was to follow. It's something that happens regularly,'' he said. ``They are checking you are fulfilling your obligations relating to safe storage of firearms and ammunition, and they are [also] verifying details of the firearms you have to ensure [they] are registered to you.''

He said police had been courteous and efficient to him in his 40 years of gun ownership. Mr Dengate said the maximum penalty for unsafe gun storage was two years' jail and that keeping firearms safe was the priority.

"It's important weapons are stored to limit the possibility of loss or theft, so they don't come into the possession of a person who isn't authorised to hold them,'' Mr Dengate said.