Amidst a flurry of media exposure for advocates of gun control following the recent Parkland School Shooting, gun violence is perhaps more polarizing and controversial an issue than ever before. If you want to make your guns safer, look no further than the Bloomsburg Police Department for free gun safety locks to keep you and your family safer.
BUPD is partnered with Project ChildSafe, an organization dedicated to the distribution of gun safety kits as well as the promotion of caution with gun use and educating people on how to operate and store guns safely. The equipment that BUPD offers are safety locks provided by Project ChildSafe for hand guns, shotguns and rifles; aiming to help gun owning parents in the area keep their children safe.
According to USA Today, roughly a third of all American households with children contain firearms, and 152 children under the age of 12 mistakenly shot themselves or another child between the years 2014 and 2016.
Given that gun related accidents among children are not uncommon, and the high rate of gun ownership in and around the Bloomsburg Area, the distribution of these safety locks by BUPD has the potential to save lives.
According to BUPD Chief Roger Van Loan, in addition to advocating for Project ChildSafe, the department often sends officers to speak at schools about gun safety.
In regards to the main objective behind the partnership Van Loan stated, “Especially in this area, with many households having guns, it’s important that the parents or adults make them safe around children.”
The goal behind Project ChildSafe and BUPD in these efforts is not about a political agenda, but rather promotes a bipartisan approach to improving gun safety given the current circumstances regarding gun laws and gun ownership. Project ChildSafe’s slogan “Own it? Respect it. Secure it.” embodies this idea. According to their website; projectchildsafe.com, the program has distributed more than 70 million gun locks since 1998 and more than 37 million safety kits since 2003. The efforts of the organization have undoubtedly contributed to the 24% decrease in gun related accidents between 2006 and 2015. Between teaming up with Project ChildSafe, promoting their website, and independently offering gun safety education, BUPD is making a difference.