Perry Police Department holds senior citizen firearm safety class

In case of an emergency situation, he says seniors need to know how to defend themselves until law enforcement arrives

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – We all know how important firearm safety is, and in a world that advances daily, senior citizens most importantly need to know how to safely operate a firearm.

That’s why the Perry Police Department held a senior citizen firearm safety class on Friday.

Lieutenant for the Perry Police Department Chris Sutcliff says after having a women’s safety class, they realized many senior citizens were also in need of training

“We wanted to get our citizens involved, and there are a lot of people who carry firearms in Middle Georgia, and they want to feel comfortable,” Sutcliff said. “We have a lot of officers that are good with firearms and do a lot of training, so we want to impart that knowledge onto them.”

Sutcliff says senior citizens are some of the most vulnerable people of our society.

“The older you get, the less you can move around,” Sutcliff said. “A lot of senior citizens have a loved one who has passed away, women’s husband pass away. A lot of the time they come in and say, ‘My husband passed away two years ago, I’ve got these guns I’ve never shot.’ And they’re scared at night and they feel very vulnerable, so it’s important for us to be able to help the senior citizens.”

In case of an emergency situation, he says seniors need to know how to defend themselves until law enforcement arrives.

“The odds are an officer is going to be there in time to save you, but it’s minutes at least, unless we’re around the corner, and how often does that come out. So, we want to make sure our senior citizens feel safe, have the ability to protect themselves because they’re the most vulnerable in our society.”

Perry resident Gary Hunkins tells says he and his wife came out to gain more experience.

“My wife wanted to learn some firearm practice, and just wanted to look at and when it became available,” he said. “I said, ‘What a great opportunity, not just for her but the both of us to share that learning experience.’ For myself to ensure that she’s aware and trained properly, we’ve been married for 37 years, but I know getting it from an expert will help her better, and just a refresher for me.”