Description
The Cambridge, Arlington, Newton and Watertown Police Departments, in conjunction with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Belmont Police Department and local community and faith-based organizations will partner to host the “Safer Homes, Safer Communities” regional gun buyback initiative over four Saturdays in June (June 8-29).
In 2016, a similar regional initiative – in which Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge and Watertown also participated – resulted in 150 unwanted firearms being turned in for destruction.
“We are glad to once again be assisting our law enforcement and community partners in this effort,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “Providing residents the opportunity to safely, securely dispose of unwanted firearms makes our homes and our communities safer, by reducing the chance of accidental discharge, self-harm and theft.”
“In the past four years, we have collected nearly 150 guns, including assault rifles and loaded handguns, in Cambridge alone,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr. “We remain committed to working with our local and regional community partners annually to host and support events that will ensure safer homes by giving residents an opportunity to dispose of their unused or unwanted guns.”
Officials believe the regional approach will provide residents with additional opportunities to remove these unwanted firearms from their homes. Residents can turn in unwanted firearms at any of the sites and will have the option of receiving a gift card to a local business.
The buybacks will be held:
- June 8 in Cambridge from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Reservoir Church (170 Rindge Ave.) and Pentecostal Tabernacle (77 Columbia St.)
- June 15 in Newton from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at The Second Church (61 Chestnut St.)
- June 22 in Watertown from 9 a.m. – 12 Noon at the First Parish Church (35 Church St.)
- June 29 in Arlington from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Department of Public Works (51 Grove St.)
As an incentive to participate, Cambridge residents will be awarded gift cards for each firearm they turn into public safety officers on the day of the event. The values range depending on the firearm type:
$200 gift card Assault Weapon
$100 gift card Revolver, Handgun, Semi-Automatic, Shotgun, Rifle
$50 gift card BB Gun, Pellet Gun, Ammunition
Children who turn in any toy guns will be eligible to receive a $5 ice cream gift card.
For those who cannot attend the event, gift cards will be honored if pickups are scheduled during the month of June. To schedule a pickup, please call (617) 349-3300.
Since 2013, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office has assisted 11 municipal departments, with 20 total buybacks, resulting in nearly 1,000 unwanted weapons turned in.