This summer, the owners of 198 firearms traded their guns for food in Orange County.
Now, Dutchess County legislators want to know whether a gun buyback program could work this side of the Hudson.
Legislators unanimously approved a resolution requesting Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson evaluate the feasibility of such a program at their July meeting. Legislators Joel Tyner (D-Rhinebeck/Clinton) and Alison MacAvery (D-East Fishkill/Fishkill/City of Beacon) proposed the resolution.
Gun buyback programs are intended to get guns out of residents’ homes and away from harm’s way. Although criminals are not generally turning over their weapons through gun buyback programs, guns carry the risk of accidents, or being used unexpectedly during a heated confrontation.
“Any time you can take a firearm off the street, it’s a good thing,” said Legislator Robert Rolison (R-City/Town of Poughkeepsie).
Rolison wants residents to know that – regardless of whether the county adopts a buyback program – individuals can turn in a gun now without fear of prosecution for possession and no questions asked, he said.
Orange County residents were offered up to $150 in gift certificates at Shop Rite supermarkets in exchange for their firearms. The program ran for 45 days at three drop off locations at police stations in Middletown, Newburgh and Port Jervis and concluded July 15. Residents were permitted to turn in their weapons anonymously 24 hours a day – no questions asked – and amnesty for possession was granted to those without permits, allowing individuals to turn in guns without fear they’d be charged for criminal possession. Depending on the type of weapon, the county awarded gift certificates ranging from $25 to $150.
Middletown, which collected more firearms than the other two cities, received 80 handguns and 29 riffles.
Lt. Patrick Freeman of the Middletown Police Department said that the police favored gift certificates over cash because of the perception of turning a negative – a weapon – into a positive – food – for families.
“It blew us away how effective it was,” said Freeman of the program. Orange County will likely bring the program back at a later date, he said.
Edward Diana, county executive of Orange County, said the campaign “motivated the community to become involved in getting illegal guns off the streets while encouraging our youth to reject a life of violence and crime.
“One less illegal gun on the street is one less potential for death,” Diana said.
The county allotted $10,000 to each of the three cities – Middletown, Newburgh and Port Jervis – to administer the buyback program, and $12,550 in gift certificates were distributed. Not all funds were used, and that money will go toward surveillance cameras.
In larger cities, gun buyback programs have taken many more guns out of circulation, according to legislators who authored the resolution. Yonkers collected 890 firearms in less than one month by paying up to $200 per piece. A program in Washington, D.C. resulted in 6,253 guns in little more than a year.
While some programs offer cash, Boston officials reportedly switched to gift certificates after learning that some individuals were using their $50 stipends to buy better guns.