The Tulsa Police Department, ACTION Tulsa, Tulsa Crime Stoppers, and Family and Children’s Services are partnering to hold a civic academy to promote gun safety on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

The session will begin at 10 am at Harvard Avenue Christian Church, 5502 S. Harvard Ave., and will feature stories of the life of a gun in Tulsa, narrated by officers with the Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa Fire Department and a representative of Family & Children's Services. There will also be tips for gun owners to keep their guns safe from theft and from use by children and vulnerable adults.

“In Tulsa, gun theft from vehicles has become a real problem—and many of those guns are then used in crimes. Last year, almost 400 stolen guns were used to commit a crime in Tulsa. We want to help gun owners understand the risk and learn practical tips to protect their guns from theft,” according to Police Chief Wendell Franklin.

At the same time, unsecured guns can fall into the hands of children and vulnerable adults, often with tragic results.

“According to numbers reported by TPD, 100 Tulsans died by suicide in 2023, and 62 of those deaths involved a firearm. By helping gun owners understand safe storage and providing resources to secure a firearm we hope to reduce the number of deaths by this often-fatal means of suicide,” said Amanda Bradley of Family & Children’s Services.

The event is open to the public, and both gun owners and non-gun owners are encouraged to attend.

“As we have listened to stories from Tulsans, we have learned that people across the political divide actually agree on more than most people realize. Gun owners and non-gun owners alike share the goal of making our community safer,” said Rev. Kelli Driscoll Crews, clergy organizer for ACTION. “Anyone who cares about making Tulsa safer, whether you own a gun or not, will benefit from this event.”

For more information and to RSVP, visit www.actiontulsa.org.