43°
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced that his office was teaming with Newburgh Police and New York State Police for the program, which is “designed to allow people to safely surrender guns and receive a Walmart gift card.”
The program will be held between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 22 at the City of Newburgh Community Center on Washington Street.
Those surrendering operable handguns, or modified rifles or shotguns, will receive gift cards in the amount of $100.00. Those surrendering rifles, shotguns, antique, or non-working firearms will receive gift cards in the amount of $25.00. Guns must be unloaded and brought in plastic or paper bags to be surrendered.
In total, those surrendering weapons can receive gift cards of up to $150.
“Our gun buyback is a great opportunity to get guns off the street,” Newburgh Police Chief Doug Solomon said. “These types of programs are also helpful in preventing innocent people from being injured by gunfire. We would rather people turn in a gun they no longer have a need for rather than run the risk of having it stolen during a burglary and ending up in the wrong hands.”
Hoovler noted that guns being transported in a car must be unloaded and transported int eh trunk. There is no limit to the number of weapons surrendered, though active or retired law enforcement officers and gun dealers are not eligible to participate in the program.
According to the program’s organizers, no identification is required to surrender any weapons, and “no questions will be asked of the person dropping off the firearm.”
Under New York State law, a person who volunteers to surrender a weapon to police at a gun buyback legally receives immunity for any unlawful possession of a weapon, though not for crimes that may have been committed with the firearm.
“We are committed to reducing gun violence in the City of Newburgh and gun buyback programs are one part of the equation in doing so,” said Hoovler said in a statement. “June being Gun Violence Awareness Month makes this a perfect time to run this program and I commend the City of Newburgh Police Department and the New York State Police for joining with my Office on this program.
"I encourage everyone who is burdened with possessing an illegal gun to take advantage of this program. Individuals who carry an illegal gun in Orange County under my Office’s policy faces a minimum of three-and-a-half years in state prison. Ultimately, every illegal gun we remove from the streets makes Orange County a little safer.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice South Orange and receive free news updates.
