School Safety
Community Resources
Be SMART
The Be SMART campaign was launched to raise awareness that secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition—can save children’s lives. Be SMART helps parents and other adults normalize conversations surrounding gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent gun deaths and injuries. There are many resources available on their website and at future community events.
Free Gun Locks
As a way to assist residents in keeping their firearms safe, both the Libertyville Police Department and Vernon Hills Police Department offer free gun locks to any resident. The locks can be picked up at the Libertyville Police Department, 200 E. Cook Ave. or at the Vernon Hills Police Department Records Section Window, 740 Lakeview Parkway. The locks are typically available for pick-up Monday through Friday during the day. No identification is required when picking them up, and no one who requests the lock will be questioned as to their residency. Two locks per household are available.
Firearm Restraining Order
In Illinois, the Firearms Restraining Order (FRO) allows family/household members and law enforcement to work with courts to temporarily remove guns and prevent the purchase of new guns by individuals who pose a significant risk of harm to themselves or others. The FRO is a civil procedure, not a criminal one. The goal is to ensure the safety of the individual and those around them.
The FRO requires the temporary removal of guns from the subject of the order and prohibits new purchases for the duration of the order. This creates safer circumstances for the individual to seek treatment, stabilize their behavior or access resources to address their behaviors.
Information from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office regarding this process can be found at https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/Safer-Communities/Violence-Prevention-and-Community-Safety/Orders-of-Protection/index
Website Resources
PASS - Partner Alliance for Safer Schools - www.passk12.org
Readiness and Emergency Management For Schools (REMS) - www.rems.ed.gov
SchoolSafety.gov - www.schoolsafety.gov
Illinois School and Campus Safety Resource Center - www.ilschoolsafety.org
Safe and Sound Schools - www.safeandsoundschools.org
U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) "If You See Something, Say Something®" - www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something