Firearm Safety at Home

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District 128 Parents/Guardians:

Community High School District 128 is committed to providing a safe educational environment for our students and staff. In conjunction with providing a safe educational environment, gun safety and the prevention of gun-related injuries is an important safety issue for our students and families. According to findings from the 2021 National Firearm Survey, it is estimated that 4.6 million children live in homes with access to at least one loaded, unlocked gun. District 128 is working in conjunction with local law enforcement and elementary school districts to inform our families about gun safety and provide more safety information on the D128 website

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 on their website.

Communication and Awareness
If a family member or friend is talking about or threatening to commit an act of violence toward others, community members must tell someone. Firearm suicide is also having a devastating impact on American youth. Over the past decade, the firearm suicide rate among young people has increased faster than among any other age group. One study showed that over 80 percent of children under the age of 18 who died by gun suicide used a gun belonging to a parent or relative. If you need help or assistance, there are resources available, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24/7, for free and confidential phone support.

If you have further questions or need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to the LHS/VHHS Learning Support Teams (LST) or provide information through the District 128 Report a Concern website. As a community, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that Libertyville, Vernon Hills and the surrounding communities are safe places to learn, grow and prosper.

 

Sincerely,

Briant Kelly

Associate Superintendent

Community High School District 128