Augusta kicks off gun lock giveaway

Web posted June 4, 1999

By Mark Mathis
Staff Writer

Thanks to a donation from Augusta's most famous resident, local gun owners will be able to pick up free locks for their firearms today in what city officials say is the first program of its kind in the state.

Singer and entertainer James Brown was recently approached by Augusta Mayor Bob Young with his idea of starting a gun lock giveaway he proposed last month at a televised teen forum.

Mr. Brown immediately wrote the city a check for $4,000 to buy 1,000 gun locks to be distributed by the Richmond County Sheriff's Department, Mr. Young said.

``It was not a hard sell at all because Mr. Brown is concerned about kids and he loves this community,'' Mr. Young said.

Mr. Brown is in New York and could not be reached for comment.

The program is modeled after one in Hendersonville, Tenn. Former Atlanta Police Chief Eldrin Bell was on hand at the mayor's press conference to support the program.

``The mayor and James Brown have taken an extraordinary step to get out in front of a situation. Often, law enforcement reacts to things..All of the major cities in Georgia should be doing this,'' Chief Bell said.

But the gun locks are just one part of gun safety, Richmond County Sheriff's Department's Chief Deputy Ronald Strength said.

``There is no pure answer, but this is a step in the right direction if people will also take the initiative to not just put the locks on the guns and think that's the answer. We still need to hide the guns and keep them from kids,'' Chief Deputy Strength said.

The lock giveaway will begin today and run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the sheriff's department until all the locks are gone.

People wanting to obtain locks need to bring a driver's license to prove they are at least 21 years old and live in Richmond County.