Safer TN recently partnered with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to distribute free gun locks, and the response has been tremendous.
This summer, we’ve shared these locks with communities across the state, sparking important conversations and helping gun owners prevent avoidable firearm tragedies. Read more about where we’ve been and the impact we’re making.
1-What We’re Tracking: Safer TN distributes hundreds of gun locks at multiple events
Firearm injuries and deaths are preventable, not inevitable. One of the most effective ways to reduce them is through secure storage. Simply keeping a firearm out of sight or out of reach is not enough to stop children or unauthorized adults from accessing it. Organizations from the NRA to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend keeping firearms unloaded and locked when not in use. Ammunition should also be stored separately—a crucial step in preventing suicides when crisis and means can tragically align. Safer TN offers resources on what secure storage looks like and how to talk to children about firearm safety.
At events in July and early August, we distributed nearly 500 free gun locks—proof that when these tools are brought directly to gun owners, they’ll take them and, we hope, put them to use. We look forward to meeting more gun owners where they are and continuing to provide these lifesaving resources through this valuable partnership with the state.
If you want a free gun lock now, visit this website to find a location near you. Here are the instructions on how to use a cable lock, as well.
2-What We’re Tracking: Where we’ve been and where we’re going
In less than a month, Safer TN has attended six community events across the state. We kicked things off in Memphis at the Le Bonheur School Nurse Conference, speaking with school nurses from across West Tennessee and Arkansas about firearm safety. Next, we visited the Germantown Farmers Market to connect with Shelby County residents in a suburban setting. We also joined First Fridays in Columbia, participated in a health fair in Sumner County, and wrapped up at the Williamson County Fair — where we distributed more than 200 gun locks in a single day.
In the months ahead, we’ll be presenting to several Rotary clubs and finalizing additional events. Stay tuned — we’ll share details as soon as we know when we’ll be in your area.
3-What We’re Tracking: Safer TN in the news
Another effective way we connect with people across Tennessee is through the media, and Safer TN has been featured multiple times recently. Our board chair, Todd Cruse, appeared on Inside Politics with Ben Hall in Nashville, where he shared why Safer TN is committed for the long haul, why we’re focusing on education right now, and how you can help. You can watch the full interview above, and we’ve shared key clips on our social media channels.
We were also asked to comment on Tennessee’s new requirement for schools to teach age-appropriate firearm safety, which includes secure firearm storage, school safety relating to firearms, and what to do if a firearm is found.
In addition, board member Beverly Robertson appeared on WREG’s Live at 9 to share more about our work. She summed it up perfectly: no matter our backgrounds or political affiliations, we all want our children and communities and for our children to be safe.
4-What We’re Tracking: Glock switch ban is upheld by federal appeals court
After a Memphis man was arrested for firing at police during a chase, investigators found a Glock switch on his handgun. He was convicted for possessing an unregistered machine gun. The man appealed, arguing that his prosecution violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms.
The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that machine guns are not protected by the Second Amendment, thus affirming the defendant’s 108-month prison sentence. Historical legal precedent supports the government’s authority to prohibit “dangerous and unusual weapons.”
Glock switches are now banned under Tennessee state law as well, thanks to a bipartisan measure enacted this year by the General Assembly. While the case may be appealed to the United States Supreme Court, Safer TN is encouraged by this ruling.
