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Buffalo Police Department
Mayor Byron W. Brown
Commissioner Daniel Derenda

Home » Press Releases » 2011 News Archive » Buy Back Brings in over 600 Guns

Buy Back Brings in over 600 Guns

No Questions Asked, Pre-Paid Cash Cards for Guns

BUFFALO—Mayor Byron W. Brown's 4th city wide Gun Buy Back event, held on Saturday, May14th, brought in over 600 guns. The 639 guns collected brings the total to 2,951 guns that have been turned in during the four buy backs.
 
“Since 2005, we have removed over 7,000 illegal guns from our city streets,” said Mayor Brown. “Almost 3,000 of those weapons have been seized through the Gun BuyBack program". Included in the 639 guns that were collected, over 200 handguns and 178 rifles were turned in. 
 
This initiative is one of several anti-crime measures being implemented throughout the city, including adding more police officers, establishing a new housing police unit, increasing foot and bicycle patrols, implementing a new Violent Crime Task Force and expanding the highly successful surveillance camera system.
 
In 2005, the Buffalo Police Department removed 923 illegal guns from city streets. Since then the Department has removed 1,061 in 2006, 1,801 in 2007, 1,597 in 2008, 1,205 in 2009, 859 in 2010 and 200 through March 2011.
 
“I want to thank Buffalo residents for their participation in our Gun BuyBack programs, and encourage them to continue their involvement in ridding our streets of illegal weapons,” said Buffalo Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda. “This year’s Gun BuyBack was extremely successful especially with the removal of so many hand guns".
 
Rick Calipari, Investment and Debt Management Officer, and Darryl McPherson, City Auditor, will be assisting financial and auditing sides of the gun buyback program to make sure that all of the guns and money are accounted for and that JPMorgan cash cards are distributed effectively.
 
As in past years, 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 confident and safety among the city’s law abiding residents
 
“I know that one Gun BuyBack effort will not eliminate the illegal weapons on our city streets. However, this program is an opportunity for residents to turn in guns that they would like to remove from their homes,” said Mayor Brown. “This is part of a larger initiative by my Administration to lower crime in our city.”
 
To help promote the May 14th Gun BuyBack effort, Lamar Outdoor Advertising once again generously provided creative design support along with outdoor advertising locations throughout the city to post billboards that raise awareness about the program.
 
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority agreed to post the City of Buffalo’s Gun BuyBack advertisement posters (the same as the Lamar Outdoor Advertising billboards) inside bus shelters based on availability of space.
 
The overall Gun BuyBack effort is financed by asset forfeiture funds that have been acquired by the city through the seizure of monies from illegal drug and other criminal activities in Buffalo.
 
On May 14, 2011, the City of Buffalo’s Gun BuyBack will take place at the following locations:
 
Church of the Good Shepherd                    96 Jewett Parkway
Assembly of Christian Churches              164 Forest Avenue
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
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Parish Hall        256 Riverside Avenue
 
“I want to thank these faith-based organizations and their respective pastors for participating in the Gun BuyBack program for another year,” said Mayor Brown. “I commend their commitment to the safety of our city. My Administration has been committed to improving safety and quality of life, and I will continue to support law enforcement initiatives that will make Buffalo an excellent place to live, work and raise a family.”
 
Pre-paid bank cash 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., Uzis AK-47s)
 
“This program is vital for the safety and quality of life of Buffalo residents,” said Mayor Brown. “This is an opportunity to get guns out of homes in the city, out of harm’s way and into a safe and secure location. It is extremely important that citizens participate in eradicating these very lethal and potentially dangerous illegal weapons. I look forward to this year’s Gun BuyBack being as successful as previous years.”
 
Through the Buffalo Police Department’s enforcement of Mayor Brown’s Zero Tolerance anti-crime agenda, overall crime in the city has been reduced by approximately 11.4% since Mayor Brown has taken office. Violent crime has decreased by 8% in the last year.