An unidentified public safety staff member told the Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeal Board at its meeting called to order at 6 p.m. that Kalamazoo City is at a 10-year low in gun violence and that 12 firearms have been surrendered through a gun amnesty program that began almost a year ago.

The update matters because the program — run in partnership with participating churches — is intended to remove unsecured firearms from homes without criminal penalties and to reduce gun-related incidents. The staff member said seven to eight churches have participated and that more congregations have expressed interest.

“We're at a 10-year low overall for gun violence,” the unidentified public safety staff member said. The staff member described the amnesty process: a resident who finds a firearm in the home can bring it to a participating church, which will place the gun in a secure box; public safety personnel will then collect the firearm “no questions asked.”

“As of today, we have 12 guns that's been turned in,” the staff member told the board. The staff member also encouraged residents who are uncomfortable transporting a firearm themselves to contact trusted community leaders to deliver it on their behalf and asked that surrendered guns be placed in a box or otherwise secured for safe handling.

Staff also gave the board a scheduling update: final interviews for a new recruit class are planned for Dec. 9, 2025, and the staff member asked that a member of the citizens review board be present for the interview process as has been done previously. The staff member said they would follow up by email with more detailed numbers.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to accept last month’s meeting minutes as written — approved. The board chair moved to accept the minutes; members voted in favor. The motion was recorded as passed during the meeting.
- Motion to adjourn — approved. Members voted to adjourn; the meeting was closed.

Board members present at roll call included Jason Allen, Christopher Caldwell, Ashley Huber, Ebony Hempel, Barbara Miller, Regina Miller and Theresa Tharash; Wally Farrar and Susan Stapleton were recorded as excused. The board announced that the regular November meeting would be canceled because it falls on Veterans Day and that the next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2025.

No ordinance, statute or formal policy change was proposed during the meeting; the gun amnesty update was presented as an informational status report and a request for participation in recruit-class interviews.