Sheriff T.K. Waters and Mayor Donna Deegan join in PSA urging proper gun storage
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and Mayor Donna Deegan joined together for a public service announcement Wednesday to discuss the importance of proper gun storage for citizens who own firearms.
As part of the initiative, organizations have donated gun locks for distribution free of charge. While the free gun locks are available, lawful gun owners can pick them up at a local Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office substation.
“By properly storing your lawfully-owned firearm, you can prevent accidental discharges and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals,” Waters said. “Proper gun storage means keeping firearms both inaccessible to children and unauthorized people.”
Deegan said firearm deaths are a “significant issue” in Jacksonville. She said 282 unsecured firearms were stolen from people’s homes in 2020. She said in 2022, 651 were stolen from vehicles.
“Proper gun storage is fundamental to safe responsible gun ownership,” Deegan said. “It is a direct way that lawful gun owners can protect against accidental injury or death.”
Waters said that “hiding a gun is not the same as properly securing it.”
“The best practice for proper gun storage is to lock up a firearm that is not being actively used or carried,” Waters said.
The sheriff pointed to a variety of gun storage options that he said are easy to use and effective at preventing unauthorized access including:
- Lock boxes
- Gun lockers
- Full size gun safes
- Console and vehicle safes
- Gun cases
- Cable locks
- Trigger locks
“JSO wants to partner with citizens who lawfully possess firearms so that we can prevent accidental discharges and keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals,” Waters said.
The sheriff and the mayor have had substantive differences during Deegan’s mayoral campaign. Waters endorsed Deegan’s Republican opponent Daniel Davis for mayor.
During the campaign, an ad released by the Duval County Republican Party in April featured Waters saying Deegan’s “radical policies” would make Jacksonville “less safe” with background footage of Black Lives Matter protests.
Following Deegan’s win for mayor, her and the sheriff have worked together. During a Public Safety Town Hall in July, Waters announced a plan to hire 80 additional police officers.
Deegan previously approved $7.8 million in the city’s budget for an additional 40 police officers for the sheriff’s office, along with 18 non-uniformed positions, which Waters called a “testament to the City’s shared growth vision for JSO.”
