ELLENWOOD, Ga. — Clayton County Police, Clayton County Schools and other district and county officials are joining forces to raise awareness to keep guns out of the hands of students.
Clayton County Police Uniform Patrol Division Maj. Anthony Thuman said gun theft crimes are up, which can eventually lead to more violent crimes in the county.
It's hard to get guns off the streets when gun owners are basically giving them away, Thuman said.
"The gun thefts we're seeing right now are coming from unlocked cars," he said.
Thuman said teenagers aren't going for money and electronics. These days, they're going straight to the firearms. He said young people are roaming the streets during the wee hours of the morning. He also stated that although homicides are down, violent crime is up.
In terms of prevention, Clayton County Public Schools Police Chief and Chief of Safety and Security Reynard Walker said his officers are working to keep the weapons off the campuses.
"We're having a lot of things occur in the community that comes from gun violence," Walker said. "And we just thought it was very important that we express to the community that we are aware of what's going on."
County police, school police, the district attorney, representatives, and a firearms company also held a gun safety awareness forum at Morrow High School Wednesday night, hoping to paint the picture for parents. During the forum, they gave out free gun locks.
"Be responsible for how you store the gun," Thuman said. "Be responsible if you carry the gun. If you're not with the gun, the gun needs to be locked up."
Here's what was suggested to gun owners:
• Keep your gun in a biometric gun safe or lock box
• Use a gun lock
• Attend firearms training
• Empty your ammunition when not using your gun
• Never leave your firearm in your vehicle
• Check where you leave your gun frequently
In response to a recent school shooting in the metro, Walker said the number of weapons found at schools has decreased in recent years.
"Two years ago, we had nearly 100 weapons on school grounds," Walker said. "Last year, we were able to drop that number about 25 percent."
Walker said his officers have golf carts and are required to patrol the campuses throughout the day. The agency is also cracking down on fighting.
Thuman said police are using a real-time crime center, with the help of neighborhood surveillance cameras, to catch thieves. He said not only would these criminals be locked up, but irresponsible gun owners could face time, too.
Officials said they are hoping to collaborate with parents to decrease and hopefully stop youth gun violence.
"I don't want the public to worry that your son or daughter is going to be walking down the street and just be randomly assaulted. That's not what we're seeing in a lot of these incidents," Thuman said. "These are known people."