LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Nine Michigan counties are cashing in on nearly $400,000 in grants to tell gun owners to lock up their firearms.
The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan is leading the charge, rolling out billboard campaigns, social media outreach, and town halls aimed at raising awareness of the 2024 law requiring unattended guns to be unloaded and locked. Penalties for violations range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the circumstances, according to The Detroit News.
Wayne County plans to spend its $115,800 grant on an advertising blitz, while Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido is organizing a town hall focused on gun safety and youth suicide prevention. Their message: “It’s not just the law. This can save lives,” according to J. Dee Brooks, the group’s president and Midland County prosecutor.
Brooks’s office will also attend community events handing out free gun locks provided by the Michigan State Police.
Since the law’s enactment, 36 charges have been filed statewide, including nine in Wayne County.
Other counties receiving funds for educational efforts include Berrien, Calhoun, Crawford, Ingham, Jackson, and Washtenaw.