PCS PARTNER PROFILE: RICK PORRELLO
Name: Rick Porrello, Chief of Police
Department: Lyndhurst Police Department, Lyndhurst, Ohio
How does your agency distribute Project ChildSafe gun locks and safety materials in your community?
Project ChildSafe locks are distributed directly to residents in several ways. We routinely promote their availability through our online presence, our city magazine and on our city hall marquee. They are also made available at special events – such as National Night Out and Lyndhurst Home Day. Finally, they’re also available 24/7 directly from our Emergency Communications Center.
Why does your department partner with Project ChildSafe?
Our mission statement memorializes our commitment to collaborate with the community. Partnering with Project ChildSafe gives us another way to work with residents to help prevent tragedies and share information about gun safety. Having the locks available, and promoting their availability, in and of itself helps to promote gun safety awareness for our residents.
How has access to free gun locks and safety materials impacted your community?
The safety kits provided by Project ChildSafe have helped us maintain an ongoing message of importance about the secure storage of firearms. Preventing access to guns by children and criminals and accidental discharge are critical goals for law enforcement, gun owners and, for that matter, all citizens.
How can residents in your community and communities across the country become more involved in spreading the message of safety?
Citizens must continue to make gun safety a priority and be part of the solution, not the problem. They should support programs such as Project ChildSafe, and can help make gun safety a priority in a variety of ways:
- Gun owners should make secure firearm storage a topic of conversation with loved ones and friends.
- Citizens can turn in unwanted firearms and ammunition to police.
- Guns should be locked and stored in secure locations inaccessible to curious children or thieves.
- Concealed carry license holders should not store guns in cars overnight.
Overall, our partnership with the Project ChildSafe program has been key to inspiring conversation and promoting better firearms safety and awareness.