11 August 2005

Lieutenant Governor and Highway Patrol to renew gun safety partnership

WICHITA -- Lieutenant Governor John Moore, accompanied by representatives from the Kansas Highway Patrol and Wichita Police Department, joined together today to extend a partnership to promote gun safety in Kansas today during a press conference at the Wichita Police Department. This event was a kick-off in an effort to distribute 155,000 free cable gun locks to Kansans.

“I am pleased to join the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Wichita Police Department and law enforcement agencies across Kansas in promoting gun safety,” Lieutenant Governor Moore said. “Many Kansans already have smoke detectors, burglar alarms, and other safety devices in their homes—these free cable gun locks will provide an additional step in ensuring Kansas homes are safer for our families. I was pleased to kick off this program last year and since that time over 218,500 locks have been dispersed in Kansas.”

Lieutenant Governor Moore and Col. William Seck, Superintendent of Kansas Highway Patrol, are working with Project ChildSafe, the nation’s largest firearm safety education program, in its second phase of a nationwide campaign to promote safe and responsible gun ownership and storage. The program reminds gun owners to take steps to prevent a loaded gun from falling into the hands of a child, thereby preventing tragic accidents.

Colonel Seck said, "The Patrol is pleased to partner with Lieutenant Governor Moore and local law enforcement agencies across Kansas in supporting Project ChildSafe. As an agency that advocates public safety, we strongly support this proactive approach to gun safety in all Kansas communities."

Additionally, Colonel Seck pointed out that Project ChildSafe provide gun locks that can easily be used to secure different types of guns.

The current campaign, Phase Two, will distribute over 12 million free firearm safety kits and follows the successful Phase One distribution of 20 million firearm safety kits over the past year to all 50 states. Each firearm safety kit includes a cable-style gun lock and a firearm safety brochure.

Project ChildSafe partners with governors, lieutenant governors, U.S. Attorneys, mayors and local law enforcement agencies across the country to distribute firearm safety kits free of charge to gun owners and to promote firearm safety at the community level. The program will continue to work with these officials and agencies as it begins the second phase of its distribution, reaching millions more gun owners with key safety messages.

Phase two of Project ChildSafe is funded by two grants from the U.S. Department of Justice that total $30 million. These two grants will fund the program from September 1, 2004, through August 31, 2005. Phase one of Project ChildSafe was funded by a $50 million U.S. Department of Justice grant.

Additional information about Project ChildSafe, including exact locations of where locks can be obtained in every community, can be found at www.ProjectChildSafe.org.