Perceived indifference by the Valparaiso City Council six months ago is now full support with the unanimous approval vote at the Feb. 12 council meeting for a resolution on community safety, firearm education and safe storage of firearms.
Council member Emilie Hunt, D-At-large, crafted and recommended Resolution No. 6, the same resolution she recommended in her guise as a gun safety advocate last September to the city council before her elected role started in January.
In fall 2023, Hunt voiced dissatisfaction publicly and in the media targeting the city council and previous mayor Matt Murphy for not including the proposed resolution for agenda consideration and meeting discussion. She said a platform for firearm safety was a catalyst for her successful run for a city council seat.
“I’d like to offer a gentle reminder to this council about school safety, and safe firearm storage is not a wedge issue,” said Hunt, addressing Mayor Murphy and the council at the Sept. 25, 2023 council meeting.
“It’s a common sense, nonpartisan response to the leading cause of death for children in this country. The addition of SROs (school resource officers) won’t prevent our children from accessing guns. I’m asking you to reconsider the resolution and have a discussion on it.”
At the Feb. 12 meeting, Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas acknowledged Hunt’s prepotency for gun safety, saying “Councilwoman Hunt, I know you’ve worked very hard on this,” and he asked her to review her resolution before discussion and the council’s vote.
“I’m proud to be sitting on this council with representatives who are able to accept their differences and bring them to the table to have a conversation and find a path forward that puts our city and children first, and the increasing number of children in Northwest Indiana who have access to unsecured, loaded firearms and have used them to hurt themselves or others, as well as the absolute responsibility of adults and gun owners to store their guns safely and securely,” Hunt said, addressing the council.
“We also recognize the role of guns in suicide and that suicide is the second leading cause of death for Hoosiers ages 10 to 34. At least 20% of our high schoolers report experiencing suicidal thoughts, and 14% actually make a plan. And those numbers double when we are talking about our LGBT students.”
Hunt described the resolution as Valparaiso’s commitment and a first step to keep students and the community safe in today’s world of violence “as a way to prevent the worst from happening.”
Hunt reminded the council that last May, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed into law House Bill 1177 to provide firearm training for Indiana teachers, and that Valparaiso Community Schools Superintendent Jim McCall has embraced the program initiated by the Indiana Department of Education, partnered with Indiana State Police, for firearm safety materials provided to school districts to distribute to parents.
Council member Jack Pupillo, R-4th District, said in both his capacity as a father and elected official, he is committed to backing Hunt and the resolution.
“I think anybody, from the staunchest Second Amendment supporter to everybody on the other side, can agree on firearm safety,” Pupillo said.
“Even as someone who has had hundreds of hours of firearms training, it’s something that always needs to continue.”
Council President Robert Cotton, D-2nd, described Hunt’s resolution as one “that was ready to be approved from the start several months ago.”
“I think despite the hurdles you’ve faced over these months, this resolution was also subjected to ears willing to listen and compromise,” Cotton said.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
