__________________________________________Ask the DA

 

I found out about your office’s “Gun Buy Back” program on October 11, after it was over. I would like more information about it.

This past weekend, I joined Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, State Senator Martin Malave Dilan and four local Brooklyn Diocese churches in sponsoring Brooklyn’s third Gun Buy Back program. The event took place in Williamsburg and Bushwick in the 83 and 90 police precincts.

After three days, the program recovered 1,535 guns from the streets of Brooklyn, including 460 revolvers, 379 semi-automatic pistols, 41 sawed-off shotguns, 23 assault weapons, 506 rifles/shotguns, and 126 other guns (BB or air).

There were two other Gun Buy Backs in July and September of this year which were also major successes. In total, 1,108 guns were netted from those two programs.  

During the Gun Buy Backs, individuals who owned guns -- legal or illegal -- were able to trade each of them in for a $200 bank card. BB or air guns were redeemed for $20 each.  The bank cards, which were issued by Chase Bank, can be used as debit cards or for withdrawals at any ATM. There was no limit to the number of guns participants could surrender, but they were paid for at most three of them. All the transactions were anonymous.

Funding for the Guy Buy Backs was provided by my office and the Police Department from the proceeds seized from criminal transactions. 

For announcements concerning future Gun Buy Backs, please visit my office’s website at www.brooklynda.org. To have your questions answered in a future column, please visit asktheda@brooklynda.org.

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