Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gun Violence Prevention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cincinnati City Council declares city a ‘Store It Safe’ community and unanimously adopts related resolution
Summary
Councilwoman Albee introduced a resolution recognizing the Store It Safe Coalition; the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and local groups described lockbox distribution, provider training and prevention work, and the council unanimously approved the declaration and commended partner organizations.
Cincinnati City Council unanimously adopted a resolution declaring the city a “Store It Safe” community after a presentation from the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and local partners.
Council member Albee introduced the resolution and asked members of the coalition to join her on the dais. Dr. Chris Peltier, a pediatrician and immediate past president of the Ohio AAP, told the council the program has distributed more than 5,000 lockboxes across Ohio, trained more than 300 health-care providers to screen for suicide and discuss safe storage, and reached an estimated 130,000 residents through screening and education. “Becoming a Store It Safe designated community is more than just adopting a title,” Peltier said. “It's joining a movement to promote safe storage of lethal means, educating families and creating environments where help is accessible.”
Representatives of Whitney Strong and Moms Demand Action also spoke about local prevention work and survivor-led efforts following a 2018 mass shooting in the region. Whitney Strong’s speaker said local trauma-informed programs and gun-lock distribution are core parts of the group’s prevention work.
Vice mayor Kearney and several council members praised the coalition’s outreach and prevention efforts. Council member Jeffries said pediatricians screening for safe storage create an opportunity to get more gun locks into independent practices, and council member Nolan thanked the coalition for building partnerships that help neighborhoods.
The resolution — recognizing the Ohio AAP, Whitney Strong and the Be Smart campaign of Moms Demand Action and inviting residents to commit to secure storage of lethal means — passed on a unanimous roll call. Councilmembers and coalition members took a photograph on the council stairs after the vote.
The resolution does not create a regulatory requirement; it is an expression of council support for outreach and education by the named organizations. Council members said they expect continued partnership with health-care providers and community groups to distribute safety resources and training.
