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The Suffolk Sheriff’s Office is continuing its gun safety efforts. The department has been chosen as one of three nationwide agencies to receive a grant from the National Rifle Association (NRA) for teaching gun accident prevention measures to children. Originating from the NRA’s Eddie Eagle campaign, the Sheriff’s Office teaches the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, which helps law enforcement, parents and educators discuss and educate children about gun safety. Thanks to the new grant, the department has received a new Eddie Eagle costume to help continue safety efforts. Aiming to teach pre-K through 4 grade students, the program provides children with four safety methods if they see a gun: “Stop, Don’t Touch, Run Away, and Tell a Grown Up.” Chief Deputy David Miles talked about participating in the program.

“We have been teaching the Eddie Eagle GunSafe© program for several years,” Miles said. “Hopefully, this costume will help us to further engage with the children so they will remember the safety tips.”

Miles talked about other programs that they are utilizing to help teach gun safety to the community.

“The Office has the Project ChildSafe program that provides safety kits for adults to safely secure their firearms. This program emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility while owning a gun through the motto “Own It? Respect It. Secure It,©” he said. “Since the Eddie Eagle GunSafe© program is geared toward teaching children the importance of gun accident prevention, we are able to combine the program to reach every member in the household.”

While Miles expressed happiness for their office being the only Virginia agency to receive the costume, he hopes the costume will help continue their work in teaching gun safety.

“While the messages of gun safety and accident prevention are already important for us to share, we hope the costume will provide greater influence and effectiveness in reaching children within our community,” Miles said.

For more information on the NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, go to eddieeagle.nra.org.