Suffolk News-Herald

Through a partnership with &uot;Project ChildSafe,&uot; the Suffolk Police Department hopes to ensure the safety of every child against becoming a gunshot victim.

Lieutenant Debbie J. George said the department is supplying free firearm safety kits that will be given to residents through Project ChildSafe, the nationwide firearms safety program. The safety kits, including a gun lock, will be distributed through Feb. 15, as long as they last, at both police precincts at Bridge Road and East Washington Street and also at headquarters on Wellons Street.

Project ChildSafe, developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, 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.

&uot;We encourage our residents to pick up a safety kit,&uot; said Lt. George. &uot;Each kit contains a safety curriculum and a cable style gun lock. The locks 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.&uot;

The lieutenant said that one child was injured in a 2003 gun accident at Hoffler Apartments. As she said, that was one child too many and the gun locks should prevent such events.