Mark Tyson
September 30, 2003, 09:02 PM
Giving Gun Safety a Face
09/30/2003
Washington State officer's photo is part of national campaign.
By Ashley Bach, The Seattle Times
Issaquah, Wash. police Cmdr. Chris Felstad's photo is emblazoned on the side of 15 vans that travel the country promoting Project ChildSafe, a program that gives away free gun locks. The program started under another name in 1999; as it's grown, so has Felstad's visibility.
Early on, he kept his roaming images quiet, but, "now, the cat's out of the bag," he said.
"I've had friends call me from California, saying, 'Oh my god, I just passed you on the freeway.' "
On a lark: The program's organizers first used Felstad as a hand model to hold a locked gun, but they decided to take a few photos from the waist up as well. Soon enough, he was everywhere.
With a 6-foot-8, 265-pound frame, bushy mustache and wide smile, Felstad looks the part, organizers say.
"He looked like an officer you'd see anywhere in the country," said Brian Petro, a director with the public-relations firm that helps run the program. "It worked really well for us."
For a cause: Felstad isn't involved in the program for the glory. Project ChildSafe has given away 4 million cable locks so far and will distribute almost 20 million by next summer. It's funded by a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and operated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun-industry trade association.
Vans will stop by the Issaquah, Snoqualmie and Carnation police departments today to drop off locks, which are free without any paperwork. Redmond, Kirkland and Bothell are scheduled tomorrow.
A former director of Issaquah's D.A.R.E. program, Felstad cares about making guns safer to protect children. He's attended local events and a trade show in Florida to promote the program, free of charge.
"Anytime you can educate kids, let it be about drugs or anything, I'm there," he said.
Local ties: Felstad keeps busy with other responsibilities. He oversees department operations, including traffic officers, the gun range and special-operations team.
After serving as Carnation's police chief, he came to Issaquah in 1982 as an officer. He was promoted to commander four years ago and was a candidate for police chief when the job opened last year.
09/30/2003
Washington State officer's photo is part of national campaign.
By Ashley Bach, The Seattle Times
Issaquah, Wash. police Cmdr. Chris Felstad's photo is emblazoned on the side of 15 vans that travel the country promoting Project ChildSafe, a program that gives away free gun locks. The program started under another name in 1999; as it's grown, so has Felstad's visibility.
Early on, he kept his roaming images quiet, but, "now, the cat's out of the bag," he said.
"I've had friends call me from California, saying, 'Oh my god, I just passed you on the freeway.' "
On a lark: The program's organizers first used Felstad as a hand model to hold a locked gun, but they decided to take a few photos from the waist up as well. Soon enough, he was everywhere.
With a 6-foot-8, 265-pound frame, bushy mustache and wide smile, Felstad looks the part, organizers say.
"He looked like an officer you'd see anywhere in the country," said Brian Petro, a director with the public-relations firm that helps run the program. "It worked really well for us."
For a cause: Felstad isn't involved in the program for the glory. Project ChildSafe has given away 4 million cable locks so far and will distribute almost 20 million by next summer. It's funded by a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and operated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun-industry trade association.
Vans will stop by the Issaquah, Snoqualmie and Carnation police departments today to drop off locks, which are free without any paperwork. Redmond, Kirkland and Bothell are scheduled tomorrow.
A former director of Issaquah's D.A.R.E. program, Felstad cares about making guns safer to protect children. He's attended local events and a trade show in Florida to promote the program, free of charge.
"Anytime you can educate kids, let it be about drugs or anything, I'm there," he said.
Local ties: Felstad keeps busy with other responsibilities. He oversees department operations, including traffic officers, the gun range and special-operations team.
After serving as Carnation's police chief, he came to Issaquah in 1982 as an officer. He was promoted to commander four years ago and was a candidate for police chief when the job opened last year.