Members of the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office were at Kroger Marketplace recently to do a little community outreach.

It was the first time the office had partnered with the North Suffolk store, “but it’s something we’ll start doing several times a year,” said Maj. E.C. Harris.

Accompanying Harris were deputies Joe Bidnick, Debbie Callis and Wilson Wright Jr., as well as civil process secretary Katie A. Jones.

Shoppers arriving at the store with children in tow had the opportunity to enroll them in the EZ Child Identification Program.

The program uses a special machine to collect fingerprints, photos, addresses and other information, which is given to parents and not kept on file by the authorities.

“If a child comes up missing, (they) the parents can use that information” Harris said.

At a difficult time, it simplifies the process of providing needed information about a child to authorities.

Deputies with the sheriff’s office are often seen out and about with the machine. For example, Harris said they signed up “probably 80 children” at Bennett’s Creek Little League’s season opener a couple of weeks ago.

“I’m in the process of trying to get another machine,” Harris said. “They are not cheap, and we really need another one. There’s no money in the budget, so I’m seeking funding from outside sources.”

Harris, the deputies and Jones were also giving away gunlocks to gun owners. “Our goal is to try to put a gunlock into the hands of every gun owner in the city,” Harris said.

Gunlocks are an important means of preventing injury or death due to accidental discharge of firearms, he said.

“Small children, they are curious,” Harris said.

Folks owning firearms can also collect a free gunlock direct from the sheriff’s office, located inside the courts complex at 150 N. Main St., but Harris said that getting one during a community outreach event like Friday’s is probably a lot easier.

“That’s why we are trying to get out to as many places as we can,” he said, adding that the sheriff’s office also in North Suffolk, at Zoyo Neighborhood Yogurt, the week before last.

At Kroger Marketplace, the sheriff’s office also collected non-perishable food donations on behalf of First Baptist Church Mahan Street.

“Next time we’ll find another church,” Harris said, explaining they share around their expertise collecting canned goods.

Harris said he approached Kroger Marketplace manager Ricky Green about teaming up. “He was very positive — they seem to be strong in trying to do things for the community,” Harris said.