Dec 17, 2003 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

MASONTOWN – Masontown Borough Police recently took part in a nationwide effort to combat gun-related accidents by handing out two free gunlocks to area residents at the Masontown Elementary School. “This is important for the community because if we can save one child from an accidental shooting, then it is worth it,” Police Chief Rich Barron said.

According to Barron, the program is sponsored by the Department of Justice through Project Childsafe, which will distribute millions of firearm safety kits and gunlocks throughout the 50 states and in the five U.S. territories over the next year.

Project Childsafe was developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to help promote gun safety and firearm awareness among the nation’s gun owners.

With the help of area residents Arlene Hagner and Sherry Lloyd, Barron said he distributed over 100 gunlocks in less than 15 minutes and 300 gunlocks over a two-day period last week to area residents concerned about the safety of their children and people who want to promote a safer environment in general.

He said the program has a “don’t ask, don’t tell,” policy in place, noting that he could not question any of the residents about the type or number of firearms they own to protect the rights of the gun owners. He said the idea of the campaign is not to reduce the number of guns owned by citizens and is not in direct response to any single firearm accident, but simply to make the weapons already in area homes more safe and child resistant.

“It is important to get these locks on the guns just for safety’s sake,” Barron said.

The gunlocks, which consist of a plastic coated coil that snaps into a regular padlock and is released by a key, prevent the firearm from being fired and an empty weapon from being loaded.

The coil is snaked through the trigger and then the magazine chamber to prevent any accidental shots from being fired.

Barron said the program is important and that the community needs to recognize that gun safety starts in each individual home.

“If you have a gun out children automatically go to it,” Barron said. “They might think it is a toy and not realize the danger. The goal is to prevent a child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home.”