WAVERLY, Iowa (KWWL) - In response to a rise in teen suicides, and the recent shooting at Perry High School, the Waverly Police Department is now providing free gun locks to the community.
The kit includes a lock and instruction manual, and registration is not required.
Mayor Mark Anderson was part of the initial push to get the program started- he says something needed to be done.
"We all remember what happened in Perry. And we also are very concerned about children finding guns in the home- and suicide particularly in teenagers- these are all really crucial issues," he said adding, "it’s great that people offer thoughts and prayers, especially enthusiastic about people praying, but sometime prayer needs to be followed by action, and this is the city of Waverly saying we want to do something substantive to prevent loss."
The locks are available at the Waverly Police Department, or to patients of the Waverly Health Center per request.
"We're a team, we all work together here. So I came to the police department and said 'hey is this something we could do?' And they were very enthusiastic and said yes. And then we went to the hospital, and they were so happy at the hospital they were so excited about this- and so we’re all working together, it’s a team effort- that’s how we do it in Waverly," Mayor Anderson said.
Parents with children will be asked during their regular appointments if they have a child at home, and if they have a gun at home.
"Anyone can come to the police department anytime and ask for a gun lock. But many people are uncomfortable with that- so what’s going to happen is when people go to our clinic and with their well baby check up, and the doctor will say, do you have a gun? Is it secure? And if they say no, they’ll say 'here have a gun lock it’s free.”
Captain Cory Stephens with the Waverly Police Department says it's not clear what impact the new initiative will have, but it certainly does not hurt.
"It’ll be hard to tell how far this does reach or the impact that it does make, it will be hard to quantify that data. But we know that it can’t hurt," he said adding, "one of the things we’re always very impressed upon is safety, and what better than to provide free gun locks to those members, citizens of Waverly that want free gun locks."
"There’s nothing wrong with having a gun. But the gun needs to be secure if you have a child in the house," said Mayor Anderson.
The locks are provided by Project Child Safe. Questions about the program or locks can be directed to the police department at 319-352-5400, option 4.
