5,000 Firearm Safety Locks To Be Distributed LocallyToday Mayor Thomas M. Menino, in conjunction with Acting Boston Police Commissioner Albert E. Goslin is pleased to announce that the Boston Police Department will manage the distribution of free gun safety locks to local residents through a partnership with Project ChildSafe, the nationwide firearms safety education program. The gunlocks will be available starting tomorrow at all 11 Boston Police district stations as well as through the Licensing Unit at Boston Police Headquarters.
Project ChildSafe is an important step forward in helping ensure that all firearm owners fully understand their responsibilities with respect to the safe handling and storage of firearms. The gunlocks provided are cable-style and fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns. The goal is to prevent a child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home.

Mayor Menino stated, “As Mayor, and as a grandfather, I know that nothing is more important than the safety and well being of our children,” Mayor Menino added, “Today I am proud to announce that Project Childsafe, a nationwide firearm safety education program, has provided the Boston Police Department with 5 thousand free safety locks. The locks will be distributed to gun owners “No Questions Asked” at district police stations throughout the city.”

By partnering with Project ChildSafe, the City of Boston is participating in a growing national effort to promote firearms safety education to all gun owners. It is important to note that over 40% of homes where children live have a gun, and many of those guns are locked and unloaded.
“We encourage residents to pick up a Project ChildSafe safety kit so that they can securely store their firearm,” said Acting Commissioner Goslin. “I am here today as a police officer, father and grandfather telling all of you that just talking to your children about the dangers of firearms is not enough. Children are naturally curious. If a gun is accessible in someone’s home, there is a good chance a child will find it and play with it.”
Mayor Menino, through his Strategic Crime Council, continues to launch an aggressive and innovative programs designed to educate and create awareness around firearm-related issues. The distribution of free gunlocks is just one of the many initiatives that have resulted from the mayor’s campaign against gun violence.
Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), will distribute millions of firearm safety kits throughout the country over the next year. The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, with additional funding provided by the firearms industry.
Today Mayor Menino provided several key steps that parents with guns in the home can take to protect their children:

• Unload your guns and keep them in a locked, secure place out of the reach of children.
• Lock your ammunition in a separate location, and keep the keys and combination in a secure place.
• And tell your kids: If they come across a gun, don’t touch it. Leave the area immediately. And tell an adult.

Mayor Menino concluded, “It’s tempting for parents to dismiss this issue by thinking, ‘I don’t need to worry about gun safety because I don’t keep a gun in my home.’ But what happens when your child goes over to a friend’s house to play? Does that household have an unlocked gun? It’s crucial that parents inquire about firearm safety in the households that their children are visiting.”

5,000 Firearm Safety Locks To Be Distributed LocallyToday Mayor Thomas M. Menino, in conjunction with Acting Boston Police Commissioner Albert E. Goslin is pleased to announce that the Boston Police Department will manage the distribution of free gun safety locks to local residents through a partnership with Project ChildSafe, the nationwide firearms safety education program. The gunlocks will be available starting tomorrow at all 11 Boston Police district stations as well as through the Licensing Unit at Boston Police Headquarters.
Project ChildSafe is an important step forward in helping ensure that all firearm owners fully understand their responsibilities with respect to the safe handling and storage of firearms. The gunlocks provided are cable-style and fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns. The goal is to prevent a child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home.

Mayor Menino stated, “As Mayor, and as a grandfather, I know that nothing is more important than the safety and well being of our children,” Mayor Menino added, “Today I am proud to announce that Project Childsafe, a nationwide firearm safety education program, has provided the Boston Police Department with 5 thousand free safety locks. The locks will be distributed to gun owners “No Questions Asked” at district police stations throughout the city.”

By partnering with Project ChildSafe, the City of Boston is participating in a growing national effort to promote firearms safety education to all gun owners. It is important to note that over 40% of homes where children live have a gun, and many of those guns are locked and unloaded.
“We encourage residents to pick up a Project ChildSafe safety kit so that they can securely store their firearm,” said Acting Commissioner Goslin. “I am here today as a police officer, father and grandfather telling all of you that just talking to your children about the dangers of firearms is not enough. Children are naturally curious. If a gun is accessible in someone’s home, there is a good chance a child will find it and play with it.”
Mayor Menino, through his Strategic Crime Council, continues to launch an aggressive and innovative programs designed to educate and create awareness around firearm-related issues. The distribution of free gunlocks is just one of the many initiatives that have resulted from the mayor’s campaign against gun violence.
Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), will distribute millions of firearm safety kits throughout the country over the next year. The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, with additional funding provided by the firearms industry.
Today Mayor Menino provided several key steps that parents with guns in the home can take to protect their children:

• Unload your guns and keep them in a locked, secure place out of the reach of children.
• Lock your ammunition in a separate location, and keep the keys and combination in a secure place.
• And tell your kids: If they come across a gun, don’t touch it. Leave the area immediately. And tell an adult.

Mayor Menino concluded, “It’s tempting for parents to dismiss this issue by thinking, ‘I don’t need to worry about gun safety because I don’t keep a gun in my home.’ But what happens when your child goes over to a friend’s house to play? Does that household have an unlocked gun? It’s crucial that parents inquire about firearm safety in the households that their children are visiting.”