About the Program
Project ChildSafe Priority Communities is a pilot program to engage communities in promoting responsible firearms ownership and safe firearms storage to help reduce firearms accidents, thefts and misuse. The program is a joint effort by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and Project ChildSafe, a firearms safety education program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association of the firearms industry. Pilot projects are currently underway in Oklahoma City, Memphis and Cleveland.
The goal of the program is to help reduce firearms accidents and misuse by creating a culture of firearms safety through continuous reinforcement of the importance of storing firearms responsibly when not in use. This culture will be driven through community outreach and events, media efforts and partnerships and supported by tools and assistance made available through the Project ChildSafe program.
The initiative is partnering with local organizations representing conservation groups, mental health and suicide prevention advocates, veterans, faith groups, retailers and hunting and shooting groups to help share messages and information about responsible firearms storage.
“By making the safety kits and educational resources available, we will help promote responsible gun ownership to members of our community that will have a larger impact in facilitating smart habits that will help keep guns safely stored away from children, at-risk individuals and criminals,” said Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty.