Students at Werner Park Academy in Shreveport were the first to participate in a new firearm safety trailer program.

The program has reached over 22,000 children since it was created in June of 2013. The safety trailer is being housed at the Caddo Sheriff's Office, and will serve any law enforcement agencies in our area who want to utilize it.

Here's more about the program, courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's Office:

The program uses certified law enforcement officers to teach parents and children about gun safety through an interactive presentation involving live demonstrations. The program demonstrates the dangers of firearms and tests students’ knowledge of gun safety.

The instructors show students various handguns and ask them if the weapons are real or toys. The students in many cases are unable to distinguish between real or toy guns because many toy guns look, feel and weigh the same as real ones. At the end of the program, students are shown the destructive capacity of guns by watching a pistol fire a bullet into a watermelon inside of a protective enclosure. Students are instructed that weapons must be handled safely and with adult supervision.

The program aims to identify the hazards of unsecured firearms, teach individuals how to secure firearms, identify distinguishing characteristics between real and toy guns, and illustrate the destructive force of firearms through the use of the demonstration trailer. Presentations are conducted at schools, camps and community events.

Check out the photos from this morning's demonstration, courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's Office:

 

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