Larimer County Coalition launches "Choices" campaign, urging youth to walk away from gun-related risks to protect their futures

Building on years of community-wide work to prevent youth firearm violence and suicide, the Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition (LCJGSC) has launched a new public safety campaign and video titled “Choices.”

The “Choices” public service announcement follows three local teens, each with ambitions in college, the military and athletics, who face a high-stakes decision on the way to a party when they discover the driver has brought a firearm into the vehicle. At that critical crossroads, each teen trusts their instincts and chooses to walk away, protecting the future they have worked hard to build.

The campaign delivers a direct message to young people: the decisions they make in the moment protect the opportunities and goals they are working toward, while carrying or being near firearms can lead to consequences that permanently alter a life. The PSA is available on the Larimer County YouTube page in English or with Spanish subtitles. 

“One choice can change the trajectory of a young person’s life,” said Emily Humphrey, director of the Larimer County Community Justice Alternatives Service Area and a founding member of the Coalition. “Youth have the power to protect their futures through the decisions they make every day. By encouraging teens to trust their instincts and walk away from risky situations, we are helping them keep their goals on track.”

“This new video reminds young people that they have the power to make choices that protect themselves, their friends and their future,” said Tom Gonzales, director of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. “‘Choices’ encourages teens to pause, think about what’s at stake, and make decisions that keep themselves and others safe.”

“Choices” builds on the Coalition’s earlier public education work, including the “Be Awkward…Ask” campaign, which focused on safe firearm storage and parent-to-parent conversations, and the 2021 “It Only Takes a Moment” campaign, which raised awareness about teen suicide prevention and the importance of secure firearm storage. This campaign extends that foundation by engaging teens directly and the trusted adults around them, including parents, educators, coaches, healthcare workers and School Resource Officers (SROs), to support open dialogue about safety and long-term goals.

"Every day, young people in Northern Colorado face choices that carry real weight, some with the power to change the direction of their lives. This campaign matters because it speaks plainly to one of those choices: the decisions our students make around firearms. My hope is that it gives them a moment to pause, think through the consequences, and choose the path that keeps themselves and others as well as their futures safe,” said Poudre School District Superintendent Brian Kingsley.

“Keeping our youths safe is the sacred responsibility of School Resource Officers. The irresponsible or malevolent use of firearms is ever present in the mind of an SRO.  We’re grateful for the partnership with Poudre School District and the Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition in preventing tragedies and lasting harm to families and our community,” the Fort Collins Police Services School Resource Officer (SRO) team said in a statement.

“Firearm safety matters, and educating our children about making responsible choices carries a responsibility we all share. We’re proud to support this PSA because it delivers an important message to our youth: one decision, whether good or bad, can change the course of a life. Our young people have the power to make good choices today that will protect their future. We’ll continue doing everything we can to help them make the right choices,” said Chief Tim Doran, Loveland Police Department.

“UCHealth is honored to advance our community’s shared mission to protect and improve lives,” said Colette Thompson, senior director of Community Health Improvement at UCHealth. “As an active member of the Coalition, we stand alongside our partners to raise awareness, offer meaningful alternatives to potential harm, and support clear pathways toward positive aspirations.”

This PSA was made possible through the financial support of Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition members and partners, including Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, Larimer County Community Justice Alternatives, Larimer County Coroner’s Office, UCHealth, Alliance for Suicide Prevention, Imagine Zero, Loveland Police Department, Fort Collins Police Services, Timnath Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Department, Estes Park Police Department, 8th Judicial-Larimer District Attorney, Thompson School District, Estes Park School District, and Poudre School District.

For more information about the Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition, visit larimer.gov/cja/juvenile-gun-safety.