2 November 2008 
          The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office along with the St. Augustine Police Department are continuing to provide free firearm safety kits to area residents through a partnership with Project ChildSafe, a national firearms safety education program.   The safety kits, which include a gun lock, are available at the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, 4015 Lewis Speedway as well as the field offices in the Northeast and Northwest part of the county and at the St. Augustine Police Department, 151 King St.
            Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), has distributed millions of firearm safety kits throughout the country over the last few years.  The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, with additional funding provided by the firearms industry.
            “We encourage residents to pick up a Project ChildSafe safety kit so that they can securely store their firearm.”  Sheriff David Shoar said.  Each kit contains a safety curriculum and a cable-style gunlock.  The locks fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns.    “The goal of the program,” Shoar added, “is to prevent a child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home.”
            By partnering with Project ChildSafe, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Augustine Police Department are participating in a growing national effort to promote firearms safety education to all gun owners.