The Sacramento Police Department has come up with a winning formula to get guns off the street.
On Saturday, the department held a “Gas for Guns Buyback” at the police station on 5770 Freeport Blvd. from noon to 5 p.m. the Sacramento Police Department will give $50 gas gift cards in exchange for unwanted guns.
134 Firearms Exchanged in Gas for Guns Gun Buyback. Full press release available here: https://t.co/SAsztw4D1y pic.twitter.com/35GsZUQMrt
— Sacramento Police (@SacPolice) May 22, 2022
According to police, most attendees exchanged their firearms because they lacked firearms knowledge or didn’t have a safe place to store them.
Chief Kathy Lester wrote on Facebook:
“As a department, we will continue to use innovative ideas to increase the safety of our community, I truly believe violent crime prevention is a shared responsibility and today’s overwhelming community participation is evidence of the success we can achieve together.”’
More than 100 people turned in 134 firearms.
Police have also stated that they will not question gun owners or require identification. Additionally, police ask that owners stay in their vehicles, leave all ammunition at home, and unload and lock their firearms in the trunk.
The police said that the surrendered firearms included ghost guns and “other illegally configured” weapons.
In a 1993 study conducted in Sacramento — the same year the police offered Kings basketball tickets in exchange for firearms — previous gun exchanges helped reduce the risk of gun violence among some, but the overall community benefits were lacking.
In a report by the Journalist’s Resource, more recent research shows that buybacks are beneficial when “part of a broader effort to reduce gun violence.”
Buybacks can “influence public perception of how authorities are dealing with gun violence and serve as opportunities to educate communities about gun violence reduction strategies,” the article added.
However, the police department running the “Gas for Guns” program says that they have run out of gift cards just 45 minutes into the four-hour event, as they shared the program’s success on Facebook.’
The American Automobile Association reports that gas prices in California are currently above $6 per gallon, a record high.
New York City also held a gun buyback program, in which 69 weapons were turned in, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. As per the Associated Press, people received $200 gift cards and iPads from Junior’s restaurant chain in exchange for turning in their weapons.
Updated final tally was 69 guns that will never be used to commit a crime or otherwise cause harm. https://t.co/tAxYt4hqME
— DA Eric Gonzalez (@BrooklynDA) May 21, 2022
Sources: Dailywire, Npr, Newsnationnow