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Home > Leadership > Mayor > Archive Press Releases > 2007 Archives > April 2007 > MAYOR BROWN ANNOUNCES CITYWIDE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM

MAYOR BROWN ANNOUNCES CITYWIDE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM


Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
Director of Communications
716-851-4841

Gun BuyBack

(View Gun BuyBack Flyer)
(View Gun Drop-Off Map )

No Questions Asked, Pre-paid Credit Cards for Guns

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced the City’s “No Questions Asked” Gun Buyback Program will take place on Saturday, June 2, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at six drop-off sites across Buffalo.

“Late in 2006, I announced that the City would conduct a gun buyback program as one of several tactics we will use to rid our streets of illegal guns,” said Mayor Brown. “And during my annual State of the City Address I reiterated that this program would be a no-questions-asked process where guns submitted at several locations will enable the individual to receive a pre-paid credit card at a dollar value based on the caliber of the weapon.”

Buffalo’s program is modeled after several other city’s successful gun buyback efforts, particularly the City of Chicago that in two different one-day gun buybacks retrieved over 4,200 guns.

This initiative is one of several anti-crime measures being implemented throughout the city, including the Buffalo Police Department’s Mobile Response Unit, which was launched on January 14th. 

Last year the Buffalo Police Department took 1,000 illegal guns off the streets of Buffalo and this new program will work to support that activity.

Buffalo Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson said, “Our aim is to launch a Gun Buyback Program as a part of Mayor Brown’s overall anti-crime strategy to reduce the amount of illegal guns and gun-related violence on the streets of Buffalo.”

The goals for this program are:

  • To provide safer neighborhoods throughout the City of Buffalo.
  • To support Mayor Brown’s Zero Tolerance Law Enforcement Agenda.
  • To instill a sense of confidence and safety among the city’s law abiding residents.

To help promote the June 2nd Gun Buyback effort, Lamar Outdoor Advertising has generously provided creative design support along with outdoor advertising locations around the city to post billboards that highlight the program

“On behalf of Lamar Outdoor Advertising, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to assist the City of Buffalo by donating billboard space to create awareness for the Gun Buyback program,” said Richard Dvorak, Vice President and General Manager of Lamar Outdoor Advertising.  “We are hopeful that this campaign will be a success for the City of Buffalo and that it helps make our streets safer.”

Also, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has graciously agreed to post the City Of Buffalo’s Gun Buyback advertisement posters (the same as the Lamar Outdoor Advertising billboards) inside all 330 Metro buses, as well as in bus shelters and in rail stations based on availability of space.

Lawrence M. Meckler, NFTA executive director said, “The NFTA is pleased to provide support to Mayor Brown for this important community initiative. Using Metro buses, shelters and rail stations to advertise the gun buyback program will hopefully increase awareness of the program and thus reduce the number of illegal guns in our community.”

The overall effort is being financed by $30,000 in asset forfeiture funds that have been acquired by the city through the seizure of monies from illegal drug and other criminal activities in Buffalo, as well as a $10,000 contribution from the Erie County Medical Center, which was presented to Mayor Brown by ECMC CEO Michael Young on February 15, 2007.  Additional contributions have been pledged to the Gun Buyback program from other private sources.

On Saturday, June 2, 2007, the City of Buffalo’s Gun Buyback will occur at the following locations: Church of the Good Shepherd, 96 Jewett Parkway; Prince of Peace Christian Church, 190 Albany Street; Primera United Methodist Church, 62 Virginia Street; St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 450 Abbott Road; True Bethel Baptist Church, 907 East Ferry Street; St. John Baptist Church, 184 Goodell Street.

“I appreciate these faith-based congregations and their respective pastors for participating in this effort,” said Mayor Brown. “Their commitment to a safe city, where all residents enjoy a good quality of life, is at the core of what my Administration has been dedicated to since coming into office.  I will continue to pursue law enforcement initiatives that will make Buffalo an excellent city to live, work and raise a family.”

Pre-paid bank credit cards will be provided, no questions asked, in the following denominations:

  • $10.00 - Non-working or antique guns (including BB guns and pellet guns)
  • $50.00 - Rifles/Shotguns
  • $75.00 - Handguns
  • $100.00 - Assault Weapons (e.g., Uzi’s, AK-47s)

“By conducting this Gun Buyback program, I know that this single effort will not eliminate illegal guns from the streets of Buffalo, but I also know that it will provide residents with an opportunity to turn in guns that they would like to remove from their homes,” said Mayor Brown. “This is just one of several tactics my Administration will continue to employ to make our city safe fro all residents.”