Photo: WDIO-TV

From WDIO-TV - February 3, 2022

Authorities say there are 400 million guns in America. And the goal of Be SMART for Kids is to keep kids from having access to unsecured firearms. Law enforcement also want to prevent people of any ages from having access who could harm themselves, like those who are contemplating suicide.

So Duluth Police teamed up with the Be SMART for Kids campaign, to offer free gun locks.

“Through Be SMART, we were able to receive grant funding, to purchase cable gun locks. A simple task, making sure your firearm is stored securely, can really mean life or death,” shared Sarah Mikesell, a volunteer with Be SMART.

Chief Mike Tusken said it’s all of our responsibility to secure firearms. “These gun locks give us an opportunity to have a simple solution to keep and maintain safe storage of guns. So they don‘t get into the hands of young people and accidentally discharge. Also, with the uptick we’ve seen since the pandemic, and mental health and depression, we don‘t want people in despair to have access.”

The locks are free, and located in the lobby of the Public Safety Building in Duluth. The address is: 2030 N. Arlington Avenue.

In the Be SMART name, SMART stands for:

Secure all guns in homes and vehicles
Model responsible behavior around guns
Ask about the presence of guns in other homes your child visits
Recognize the roles of guns in suicide
Tell your peers to be SMART

For more info about Be Smart: https://besmartforkids.org/