Police outline gun buyback program; committee notes report

The Public Safety Committee heard a report on April 2 from police presenters on the department’s gun buyback program, including how it is funded, what happens to surrendered firearms and how often events occur.

The presenters said the city’s buyback activities date to 2009 and that the program has collected about 18,000 firearms since its start. “As is the start of the program, since 2009 we have collected eighteen thousand,” an officer said.

Officials described a pattern in which the police provide logistics and custody for surrendered weapons while outside partners or council offices supply funding for gift cards or incentives. “Our program is in partnership with gang‑reduction programs; the police do not provide funding, we provide logistics,” a presenter said. Committee members asked who donates cameras and other equipment tied to safety programs; public commenters and committee members asked for transparency about donors and subcontractors.

Police presenters said surrendered firearms are taken into a secured evidence‑management environment and destroyed; the presenters denied recent news reports alleging the weapons were resold. “I can assure you that is completely false. We will never sell these weapons,” one presenter said.

Committee members asked about program costs; presenters said individual buyback programs typically receive between $30,000 and $50,000 depending on the number of events and scale. After discussion the committee voted to note and file the buyback report.

The report on buyback operations was presented by police staff and discussed during the committee’s April 2 meeting; the committee voted to note and file the item at the same session.