Comunicado de Prensa en español
The NC S.A.F.E. (Secure All Firearms Effectively) Campaign has provided 10,000 gun locks to the North Carolina National Guard’s Integrated Primary Prevention team in an effort to reduce self-harm and offer safe firearm storage options for NCNG soldiers, airmen, employees and their families.
Leaders from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the Guard announced the partnership during a press conference at NCNG Joint Force Headquarters on March 18.
“In late February, NC S.A.F.E. was able to provide 10,000 gun locks to our partners at the National Guard’s Integrated Primary Prevention team,” said NCDPS Deputy Secretary for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention William Lassiter. “These gun locks will in turn be made available to soldiers and airmen across our state, empowering them to make safe storage a priority in their households, and by extension protecting their families, friends and loved ones.”
The NCNG Integrated Primary Prevention team strives to increase protective factors that reduce the prevalence of harmful behaviors amongst NCNG personnel and their families. This unit offers resources for self-harm prevention, family violence prevention and prevention of violence in the workplace.
“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,” said NCNG Lt. Col. Ellis Parks.
Since NC S.A.F.E. was established in 2023, NCDPS staff members have shared the message of safe firearm storage with countless North Carolinians at community events, schools, professional conferences and in many other settings. In total, NCDPS staff have distributed more than 100,000 gun locks and hundreds of gun safes to members of the public, along with materials highlighting best practices for firearm storage.
“Our message is simple: safely storing firearms saves lives,” said NCDPS Secretary Eddie Buffaloe. “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.”
Video footage of today's press conference can be found on the NCDPS YouTube page. To learn more about the NC S.A.F.E. Campaign, and to find resources for safe firearm storage, visit www.ncsafe.org. For additional still images, visit the NCNG Flickr page.