In an effort to curb incidents of self-harm and to promote secure firearm storage within the ranks of the North Carolina National Guard, the NC S.A.F.E. Campaign has stepped up. Ten thousand gun locks were just handed over to the guard's Integrated Primary Prevention team. This initiative is part of a broader push to keep soldiers, airmen, their families, and ultimately the wider community safer.
The distribution was announced at a press conference held at the NCNG Joint Force Headquarters on March 18. While working with the National Guard’s Integrated Primary Prevention team in late February, "NC S.A.F.E. was able to provide 10,000 gun locks to our partners," said NCDPS Deputy Secretary for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention William Lassiter, according to a press release from NCDPS. The move comes as part of NC S.A.F.E.’s ongoing mission to spread awareness and tools for safe gun ownership.
Established in 2023, the Integrated Primary Prevention team’s goal is multifaceted: bolster factors protect against harmful behaviors among NCNG personnel and their families, supplying resources that address a spectrum of issues from self-harm to family and workplace violence prevention. "Safety is the organization’s top priority and these gun locks ensure that North Carolina National Guard servicemembers have the right piece of equipment to help keep them from accidentally harming themselves and others," NCNG Lt. Col. Ellis Parks was quoted in the NCDPS press release.
The commitment of NCDPS towards responsible firearm storage has been unwavering since the inception of NC S.A.F.E. Over 100,000 gun locks and several hundred gun safes have been disseminated to North Carolinians, accompanied by educational materials on best storage practices, by the NCDPS staff at various events. To reiterate the importance of their mission, NCDPS Secretary Eddie Buffaloe stated, "Our message is simple: safely storing firearms saves lives," as reported by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. "Whether it’s using a gun safe, lockbox, or other secure storage methods, every responsible action we take helps prevent firearms from being misused or stolen."
