Wake County Schools committee expands safe-storage outreach, stresses inaccessibility over inoperability

Kendrick Scott, director of security for Wake County Schools, and Mister Cortez, director of special operations, told the Committee on Safety and Security on May 13 that the district has expanded outreach and resources for safe gun storage after the boards March 2024 resolution supporting secure storage.

The district said the campaign, tied to the states NC SAFE effort, emphasizes making firearms inaccessible (locked in safes) rather than only inoperable (using cable or trigger locks). Scott and Cortez also reviewed public-facing tools and reporting channels, including a 24/7 tip line and a —see something, say something— reporting application.

Why it matters: District staff said keeping firearms out of the reach of children and unauthorized users is the immediate goal of the initiative. Presenters and board members framed the work as nonpartisan safety messaging that complements state efforts and provides parents concrete steps they can take now.

Scott opened the presentation by describing the districts recent public events, including a parent safety night at Garner High School and a press conference attended by state officials. Cortez presented the technical portion of the talk and told the committee, —Its live now, so it can be used at any time,— referring to public materials and resources the district has posted.

The presentation distinguished two storage concepts: inoperable and inaccessible. Cortez said a cable or trigger lock renders a firearm inoperable but still allows a person to place hands on the weapon; by contrast, —inaccessible— storage prevents access entirely. He recommended inexpensive consumer safes as a readily available option and cited features such as tamper indicators and lockout after repeated incorrect code entries as helpful. Cortez said, —Not that much, and it will save a life for $50.—

The committee and staff also flagged look-alike weapons as a safety risk. Cortez demonstrated that modern airsoft and BB guns can closely resemble real firearms and said the visual similarity can confuse students, staff and even officers responding to an incident. The district is urging parents to treat airsoft/BB guns the same as firearms for storage purposes.

Outreach and reporting: Chief communications and school engagement staff told the committee the district distributes safe-storage material via its newsletter, school tool kits, social media and in-person events, and shares resources with principals for PTA and family nights. The district said it is leveraging a new toolkit from a national partner to refresh materials for the coming school year.

The district also reiterated reporting channels: a 24/7 see-something, say-something app and a tip line that the district said is anonymous and monitored around the clock; staff gave the tip-line number as (919) 856-1911 and said calls are triaged immediately.

Board members and staff framed the initiative as broadly nonpartisan. Board member Miss Evans said the message resonated at the community event, and added, —This information is not about ownership. This is not the talk.—

Looking ahead: Staff said they will continue the districts outreach and expand the venues where the material is distributed, and they invited board feedback on additional distribution channels.

Details from the meeting: the presentation included on-site demonstrations at Garner High School and referenced the statewide NC SAFE program and participation by the state Department of Public Safety and a deputy-level state official.