Crime & Safety

Free Gun Locks to be Given Away Thursday

5,200 free gun lock and firearm safety education materials will be given away Aug. 16 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., or while supplies last. See locations in the St. Louis region, including law enforcement agencies and hospitals.

Anyone desiring a free gun lock can head to one of the following St. Louis metropolitan locations on Thursday between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. A total of 5,200 gun locks are being made available by Project ChildSafe for giving away throughout the region, according to a Tuesday St. Louis County Police Department news release.

Project ChildSafe is a nationwide program designed to help ensure safe and responsible firearm ownership and storage. It was developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) members, and supported by a U.S. Department of Justice grant. The name Project ChildSafe has been adopted by this group with the permission of the NSSF. NSSF leaders are further supporting this initiative by donating gunlocks and literature, and have agreed to provide representation on the day of the event.

The premise of this program is to provide gunlocks and literature concerning gun safety and education to as many citizen gun owners as supplies allow.

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To reach the public and distribute the gun locks plus literature, a combination of police officers, citizens and hospital staff will visit high trafficked areas in their respective jurisdictions and distribute gun locks person to person. Following are the agencies providing this service:

Law Enforcement agencies:

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  • St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
  • St. Louis County Police Department
  • Jefferson County Sheriff's Department
  • St. Charles County Sheriff's Department
  • O'Fallon Missouri Police Department
  • Alton Illinois Police Department
  • Collinsville Illinois Police Department
  • Creve Coeur Police Department

Hospitals:

  • Children's Hospital
  • Barnes-Jewish Hospital
  • DePaul Hospital
  • Mercy - Washington, MO Hospital
  • Mercy - Saint John
  • Cardinal Glennon Hospital
  • Saint Louis University Hospital

GUN LOCK GIVEAWAY LOCATIONS ON AUG. 16

* St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

  • Grand Ave. and Park Ave. (Cardinal Glennon and SLU), St. Louis 63104
  • Forest Park Way and Euclid (Children's) St. Louis 63110
  • Natural Bridge and Kingshighway, St. Louis 63115

* Jefferson County Sheriff Department
* Jefferson County Sheriff's Offices:

  • 400 First Street, Hillsboro, MO 63050
  • 34 Dillon Plaza Shopping Center, High Ridge, MO 63049
  • Windsor High School Campus Hwy 61/67 and Windsor Harbor Rd., Imperial, MO 63052
  • Jefferson College Campus, Hillsboro, MO 63050

* St. Charles County Sheriff's Department

  • Bass Pro Shop, Bass Pro Drive, St Charles, MO 63301

* O'Fallon Missouri Police Department

  • Renaud Spirit Center, 2650 Tri Sports Drive, O'Fallon, MO 63368
  • Extreme Gun Care, 975 West Terra, O'Fallon, MO 63366

* St. Louis County Police Department/Clayton Police Department

  • Shop ‘N Save – 196 Mayfair Plaza, 63033
  • City of Jennings Headquarters, 5445 Jennings Station Road, 63136

* Alton Police Department

  • Washington Ave. and Brown St.
  • Statehouse Circle (College Ave., Central Ave. and 20th St.)

* Collinsville Illinois Police Department

  • Police Headquarters, 200 west Clay Street, Collinsville, IL 62234

The program itself is designed to be simplistic, straightforward and allows police officers, involved citizens and hospital staff an opportunity to interact with the public in a positive and supporting role, according to its organizers.

It also provides a unique opportunity to be proactive to reduce firearm-related accidents in and out of the home.

For more information, contact Officer Matthew Simpson at msimpson@slmpd.org or the public relations office of the SLMPD.


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