“Taking action against gun violence in our city is my top priority. Guns that are purchased as part of this program can never be used to hurt or kill ever again. I strongly believe that this effort has saved lives and has made Bridgeport a safer place for kids and families. Even if this program saves one life, it is money well spent.” – Mayor Bill Finch
- WHO: Bridgeport Police.
- WHAT: Gun Buyback program resumes.
- WHEN: Tomorrow, July 18, 2015, at 10 a.m.
- WHERE: Police Department Community Services Division at 1395 Sylvan Ave.
Bridgeport, Conn. (July 17, 2015) – The Bridgeport Gun Buyback will resume tomorrow, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Police Department Community Services Division at 1395 Sylvan Ave.
“Taking action against gun violence in our city is my top priority,” Mayor Finch added. “Guns that are purchased as part of this program can never be used to hurt or kill ever again. I strongly believe that this effort has saved lives and has made Bridgeport a safer place for kids and families. Even if this program saves one life, it is money well spent.”
During Mayor Finch's most recent gun buyback program, which began in 2012, one of the first weapons turned in was an AR-15 assault rifle, the same type of weapon used to kill elementary schools kids and teachers in Newtown. Police also received several Street Sweepers, 12-round shotguns.
“These are not hunting rifles. These are weapons of war. They are specifically designed to kill and maim other human beings and they have no place on our streets and in the hands of criminals,” said Gaudett.
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, one person is killed in the U.S. by a firearm every 17 minutes, 87 people are killed during an average day, and 609 are killed every week. Also, between 2000 and 2010, a total of 335,609 people died from guns –more than the population of St. Louis, Mo. (318,069), Pittsburgh (307,484), Cincinnati, Ohio (296,223), Newark, N.J. (277,540), and Orlando, Fla. (243,195).
The Gun Buyback is part of an comprehensive strategy to reduce violence in the city. The Police Department has started daily walking beats in public housing complexes. This year, the department also started walking beats on East Main Street. Mayor Finch and the department have partnered with state and federal law enforcement in Project Longevity to take the people who commit violence off of our streets while offering support and a helping hand to the folks who want to change their lives for the better.
And, every day, the police department crime analysis unit and area commanders look for emerging crime trends and shift resources as needed.
Working with the community and local businesses, the city has taken nearly 1,000 guns off the streets through the Gun Buyback Program. The goal is to take more than 1,000 additional guns off of our streets.
As part of the program, the Bridgeport Police Department will offer up to $200 for a working handgun. People turning in rifles will receive up to $100. A weapon determined to be an assault rifle will be eligible for up to $400.
For the Gun Buyback program, people turning in weapons must follow a precise protocol, including:
- Firearms MUST be delivered unloaded;
- Firearms MUST be put in a clear plastic bag and put into another container (gym bag, backpack, etc);
- If depositing ammunition in addition to a firearm, ammunition must be delivered in separate bag;
- If transporting the firearm by car, the firearm must be transported in the trunk of the car;
- After the firearm is screened by officers and determined to be a working firearm, cash will be given.