Gun Buy-Back Today and Tomorrow at Eureka Police Department

Eureka Police shot fired 7/28/16

Firearms captured during an incident by the Eureka Police in July of 2016.

Press release from Eureka Police Department:

As a separate event in conjunction with Project S.A.F.E. Eureka, the Eureka Police Department is holding a Gun Buy-Back program on Friday, March 24 through Saturday, March 25, 2017. Project S.A.F.E. is a collaborative effort to improve neighborhood and residential safety by reducing gun-related violence and the number of superfluous, unsecured firearms within the City of Eureka and the unincorporated areas of the county.

The Gun Buy Back Program affords citizens the opportunity to voluntarily turn in firearms in exchange for pre-paid gift cards. The identity of all individuals will remain anonymous.  No I.D. will be required and no questions will be asked.

Firearms should be transported UNLOADED in the trunk of your car and if possible, store them inside a gun case or enclosed container or box.  No walk–ups and no ammunition. Do not bring the firearm with you into the Eureka Police Department’s lobby. The firearm will be removed from your vehicle by EPD personnel. On a case-by-case basis, an officer may be available to respond to meet you for the exchange at an alternate location within the City of Eureka.

Firearms must be functional in order to qualify for a gift card exchange. Firearms that do not qualify will be accepted under the Project S.A.F.E. Gun Buy-Back program but will not be eligible for a gift card exchange. An individual may surrender more than three weapons, but gift card reimbursement may only made for a maximum of three weapons. We reserve the right to limit or decline funds to an individual regardless of the number of weapons surrendered. $50.00 pre-paid gift cards will be exchanged for operable handguns, rifles and shotguns, and $100.00 gift cards will be exchanged for assault-type weapons (such as AR-15, SKS/AK-47 style semi-automatic rifles). Funds are limited but some exceptions may be made on a case by case basis.

Guns collected will later be checked for lost or stolen status and, if applicable, may be returned to their legal owners if the owners are not otherwise prohibited from possession of a firearm. All other firearms will be prepared for destruction.

The Gun Buy-Back Program will be held on Friday, March 24th and Saturday, March 25th at the Eureka Police Department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (604 C Street, Eureka, CA).

Funding for this event is raised from private donations. EPD would like to extend a special thanks to Redwood Capital Bank and the Rotary Club of Southwest Eureka for their generous donations to this program. Those community members who would also like to donate to this event may contact Suzie Owsley at (707) 441-4371 ([email protected]) or Captain Steve Watson at (707) 441-4084 ([email protected]). Please note, Project S.A.F.E. Eureka and the Gun Buy-Back Program are not intended to be construed as anti-Second Amendment. Rather, EPD is promoting responsible, legal, safe and secure gun ownership in an endeavor to reduce-gun-related violence in our community.

The Gun Buy-Back event is happening now at the Eureka Police Department. Gift cards are going fast so act quickly if you want to participate in this opportunity. For questions, please contact Captain Watson at (707) 441-4084.

 

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32 Comments
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Terry L. Clark
Guest
6 years ago

Disarming the population while crime soars. What could possibly go wrong…

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

They should be handing them out if you don’t have a criminal record

country bumpkin
Guest
country bumpkin
6 years ago

why not sell the firearms to people who can legally and responsibly own them and use the funds to support another “buyback” to help get them out of the hands of people who should not own firearms.

Tired of the crime
Guest
Tired of the crime
6 years ago

Lmao. $50 for a $675.00 sidearm. Do the cops require an ffl fee and dros work ? Ten day wait period for my gift card? And then, will the cops “destroy” them or disperse them to local drug dealers that pay the cops off ?

trumpersarewatching
Guest
trumpersarewatching
6 years ago

So you want to unarm law abiding citizens while not being able to notice someone is getting murdered on your own doorsteps?? Very interesting.
Doesnt make any sense whatsoever but very interesting logic.
The [edit] will certainly agree this is good for everyone.
Hitler had the same [edit] convinced it was for the greater good as well, the other ones were forced to comply.
History repeats itself right here in front of our eyes.
Why not just do your job and get the criminals and their guns off the street instead of trying to leave law abiding citizens defenseless? Any caliber gun is faster than a 911 response. Stop infringing on our 2nd amendment rights! Not very American tactics!

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago

Republicans are the party of STUPID, rendering your inane post useless.

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  Sparklemahn

And your not far behind…. [edit]

Captain Watson
Guest
Captain Watson
6 years ago

Participation is entirely optional and we aren’t trying to disarm law abiding citizens. We are hoping to get superfluous, unwanted and unsecured or improperly stored guns out of environments where they are vulnerable to theft (as evidenced by Eureka’s high gun theft rates and the skyrocketing number of illegally possessed guns our officers are encountering in the hands of criminals). Just because someone turns in an old unwanted gun for exchange doesn’t mean they are getting rid of ALL of their firearms and disarming themselves.

Some of these guns may have dubious backgrounds or a lack of proper ownership records, or are illegally possessed, and their current owners are thankful for the opportunity to exchange them hassle free for a modest gift card.

We also first led a two day home and gun security event last weekend at the mall where we worked with local businesses to make gun safes available to folks for greatly reduced prices–in case they prefer to be able to responsibly and securely store the guns they have. Again, our goal is to reduce the number of stolen guns on the street which are being used in violent crimes, not disarm the law abiding populace.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Captain Watson

it’s worth a try then if it even helps prevent one shooting, atleast its proactive, do you guys usually have a good turnout? Seems like a criminal would just sell a stolen gun to another criminal for more than 50$ But then again if you paid too much it would be an incentive to steal one, kind of a catch 22 I suppose. It’s nice that you read and respond questions on these blogs. be safe out there

UpperLakeGirl
Guest
UpperLakeGirl
6 years ago
Reply to  Captain Watson

Thank you Captain Watson. I fully support gun owners rights, but I also think this is an excellent program. My mother inherited a small firearm when her father died, that she was not comfortable with. She owns other guns but did not feel safe with this one. She held onto it for a few years, not really sure what to do with it. She had no paperwork, and wasn’t really sure when or how my grandpa came to own the gun. Then one day she had the opportunity to turn it in at our local sheriffs department in exchange for a new computer for her grand kids, she was ecstatic! It did not disarm my mom, she kept her other firearms, but she was relieved to be rid of the burden of that gun, a gun she didn’t know the background on and she wasn’t comfortable with keeping.

Anon Forrest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  UpperLakeGirl

Your kids got a new computer and EPD is only offering $50? Where does the purchase money come from, I wonder.
And to destroy a beautiful and functional gun, such as those shown in the article, just seems wrong. Unless it is the ultimate in planned obsolesce.
There must be more involved with this buy-back (…BACK?…) than meets the eye. Is there a source for more information?

Jeanne Sousa
Guest
Jeanne Sousa
6 years ago
Reply to  Captain Watson

Yea, if I was a criminal I would turn in my illegal gun for a $50 gift certificate……………..NOT. This is a stupid move on the EPD.

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

Police carry guns to protect themselves, not you. How do you protect your home and person?

Hick
Guest
Hick
6 years ago

Why don’t they pay 💰 money? More of an incentive!

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

Awesome thanks for posting that I’ve never heard of them

Hammertime
Guest
Hammertime
6 years ago

The problem is not the guns, It’s who has the guns in their possession. There are way more people killed with motor vehicles than suicides or homicides in this country. Should we turn in our old classic cars because someone may steal one and crash and cause an accident or a death? It’s a good idea to secure your guns, so if someone broke into your house they wouldn’t be accessible. Same thing goes for anything that could be dangerous or has value.

I think most of the guns that will be taken in will be old useless drug guns or guns that gramma has had in the gun cabinet since grampa passed away. The latter guns should be taken into a sporting goods/ gun store like Grundman’s in Rio Dell or the site listed above, to get their true value. It’s hard to believe that valuable/classic/antique guns would be taken in to be destroyed, when they could be sold to upstanding citizens that would pay good money and safely enjoy them. I think the only gun you can buy for $50 these days, are a BB or pellet gun!

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

I’m sure most of the weapons that are returned for $50-$100 are stolen and somebody wants them back. Going to be a good week for the meth dealers!

Tired of the crime
Guest
Tired of the crime
6 years ago

When will people wake up and publicly admit that firearms in law abiding hands and properly kept/maintained are NOT THE ISSUE! It’s the criminals who choose violence and illegal activities over a hard working profession on paper. I’ve owned firearms all of my life, never had to shoot anyone with them here at home as a civilian. I’ve had to pull it on two separate occasions at my home when I had an attempted break in and attempted auto theft. Both times I didn’t have to fire. All of these regulations to remove “evil features” and that jazz are just a way for companies to money grab. The 9th circuit court is stupid, and listening to reasons given by college students etc for banning firearms are some of the dumbest conversations ever heard…

Red Woods
Guest
Red Woods
6 years ago

As usual a liberal feel good program that does nothing to for crime. $50 for a handgun? Is even the most clueless & brain dead criminal going to run right over & sell for $50?

Maybe selling off super low quality junk guns that barely function could be sold off at those prices but I doubt it.

If they get someone bringing in a high value piece I wonder what the chances are it will stay in this buy lot?? Zero,I’m guessing.

Waste of the taxpayers money that could be used to fight crime.

Why they call it a “buy back” is beyond stupid. They aren’t buying back something that was theirs,they are paying you pennies for what is yours!!!

Bushytails
Guest
Bushytails
6 years ago
Reply to  Red Woods

I’m a liberal, and I think this buyback is idiotic. Please consider actually blaming people who come up with these things, not random people.

This is not going to actually reduce the number of guns in the hands of violent criminals to any noticeable extent. None of them are going to turn in their guns. Nor is your average joe potgrower going to turn in any guns. Nor will responsible gunowners – they like their guns too. Nor will irresponsible gunowners – if they were responsible, they’d have their weapons stored to where they couldn’t easily be stolen. The only guns they might get are ones people found cleaning out their parents’ estates and such, and none of those were ever going to be used for a violent crime, except for the off chance one of them happens to get stolen in a completely random burglary.

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
6 years ago

“No I.D. will be required and no questions will be asked.” Generally speaking I like that idea, and honestly I don’t think anyone should be punished for trying to surrender a firearm they shouldn’t rightfully have. But that being said, how many people do you think are gonna be out looking for guns to steal today and tomorrow?

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  anonymous

Promoting gun theft?

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest,

Seems like the cops might inadvertently be doing just that.

MOGTX
Guest
6 years ago

The whole buy back gun thing is ludicrous

Rizzo simoney
Guest
Rizzo simoney
6 years ago

We are going to need those guns to defend our persons and property when the pension funds have more police on the dole than on the streets working.

Derelict
Guest
Derelict
6 years ago

Bullshit and horseshit!! My family and home and castle and possessions are worth more than a fucking 50 gift card. Sooo…you want me to give up my guns so a precious gang banger tweak head has even more reign to break into my house, kill and rob and be back out on the street in 3 hours???? Fuck off!!

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Derelict

I hear you, but unless you bring it down and give it to them your fine, I really see no harm in the program, it doesn’t make much sense to me but whatever floats their boat,

Loon
Guest
Loon
6 years ago

I guess you guys didn’t read the whole comment made by the officer. The effort they put forth the previous weekend was commendable. A gun safe at much reduced prices, wow cool. BUT, officer, I read avidly the local papers and I don’t recall reading of that happening interaction, with the dept. May be you should advertise via the radio and other vocal and readable avenues. Just sayin. I certainly would have made an effort to attend. Thx.

Gary Wellborn
Guest
Gary Wellborn
6 years ago

I would really like to see an accounting of what firearms were turned in. How many were stolen? What types were turned in? What is going to happen to the turned in firearms? I hope some drug scum turns in my stolen SIG P228. No questions asked? This just seems to be a feel good PR stunt. How many felons do we see on RHBB that were arrested on “Multiple Felony Warrants”? What is wrong here? How many times are the Felons going to be released to terrorize the community again, again and again? OK-I really think this program is stupid, but if I get my $700 SIG back for some scum bag needing 50 bucks, then thank you!

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Gary Wellborn

Me too but You’re only going to get ripped on for supposedly not having your gun secured. Like it’s your fault someone stole it.

Shak
Guest
Shak
6 years ago

Is this like a movie or what. Headlines read like a Hollywood script.
Drugs rampant. Burglaries rampant. Oh no a gun may or may not have been used. Methheads will do anything for a 10 spot. Burglary suspect released from jail under Calif new catch & release law. Gun owners must buy superduperextraordinair gun safe or be arrested if gun burglarised. Attention all methhead burglars! We offer you $50 per stolen gun.
We pride ourselves in protecting our community & thank Bloomberg & gas taxes for allowing us to do so. We look forward to serving our community, stay safe!

Wait until you see the script for the blue helmets. You won’t believe your eyes.
Got refugees? Blue helmets take over in refugee areas.
Just fyi. Refugees are only temporarily provided with shelter & food until they can return home. They are not true refugees if they are provided with #SSI & passports.

Sequels always suck.