Jersey City's gun buyback program takes 42 handguns, 8 rifles, 5 shotguns off street

July 09, 2012, 9:38 AM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Jersey City's gun buyback program took 42 handguns, eight rifles, five shotguns and five BB guns off the city's streets on Saturday, June 23, according to police officials.

Roughly $7,600 was paid to those turning in the guns, the money coming from donations from residents and businesses, including $10,000 from funds forfeited to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, officials said.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy launched the city's gun buyback program, dubbed Operation LifeSafer, in 2005. That year police recovered more than 900 guns. Last year, 310 guns were taken off the street in three buyback events. Discounting the BB guns, 55 firearms were collected this year, Police Lt. Edgar Martinez said.

"We are pleased with the continued success that our gun buyback program has had in getting guns out of homes and off the street, where they could potentially be used in violent crimes," Healy said. "No taxpayer dollars are used to fund this program, which since 2005, has resulted in the collection of nearly 1,300 firearms."

The city paid the people who turned in weapons $100 for every rifle and shotgun, and $150 for every handgun and automatic weapon. The program allows people to turn in the guns with amnesty and anonymity, officials said.

The latest effort to get guns off the streets was funded by money left over from last year's buyback events, which were held on two occasions. Money remains in the fund and a second buyback may be held later this year. The guns are destroyed after police check to see if a weapon had been used in a crime or was stolen.

This year's Operation LifeSafer's gun collection locations were at Ocean Avenue Baptist Church at 735 Ocean Ave, St. Joseph Parish, 511 Pavonia Ave., and First Weslyan Church, 201 Woodlawn Ave.

http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... _gun_buyback_progr_2.html

Let's cur their budget !

Say, on every occasion when the City, or the County demonstrate that they have more money than they can spend without resorting to an idiotic schema like this one, - let's cut the budget by 10%.

"Jersey City launched it's Guns for Drug Money program last week..."

..so they can use the money to buy better guns

Jersey City gun buy-back program expected to take hundreds of firearms off the streets

June 23, 2012, 3:16 PM
By Stephanie Musat/ For The Jersey Journal

The third gun buy-back program, sponsored by the City of Jersey City, has already taken at least 2 rifles, 12 handguns and 5 BB guns off the street as part of the annual amnesty initiative where residents can trade in the guns for cash.

Gun owners could have gone to three sites in Jersey City and receive $100 for every rifle and shotgun, and $150 for every handgun and automatic weapon in an effort to get guns off the streets and out of the hands of those who might abuse them.

Those numbers came from only one site - the Ocean Avenue Baptist Church - so the number is expected to triple, adding firearms from the other two sites at St. Joseph's Parish and First Wesleyan Church.

A full count of how many guns were received will not be available until tomorrow, officials said.

Officials at the Ocean Avenue site said there were a few more rifles turned in in previous years, but some guns brought in are vintage, including one estimated from the 1920s.

They said a lot of women have been turning in the guns after their father or husband passed away and they don't want them around the house anymore.


Mayor Jerramiah Healy launched the city?s gun buyback program, dubbed Operation LifeSaver, in 2005. That year police recovered more than 900 guns. Last year, 310 guns were taken off the street to curb city violence in three weekend buy back programs.


?In our effort to make our streets safer, we will continue to be creative and use whatever means available to us to stop the carnage caused by the proliferation of illegal firearms on city streets here and across the country,? Healy said in a statement.

The program is funded by donations from residents, businesses and a $10,000 donation from the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office, which comes from forfeited money

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... gun_buy-back_progr_1.html