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Goods for Guns program reaches goal of 200-plus
WORCESTER, MA -- The Police Department collected almost twice as many guns Saturday as the previous weekend in the Goods for Guns buyback program, held at police headquarters at Lincoln Square.
Last weekend, 87 guns were collected. On Saturday, 171 guns were brought in, according to Colleen McGuire of UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center and the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester.
“We were hoping to get over 200 total, which we did,†Ms. McGuire said at the end of collection Saturday. “So we were pleased.â€
She said the 171 guns collected included 62 semiautomatic or automatic weapons, 67 revolvers or pistols and 42 rifles or shotguns.
The program, a collaboration between the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester, UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, UMass Memorial Trauma Center and the Police Department, helps to get weapons off the streets “so they don't wind up in the wrong hands,†said police Sgt. Michael A. Towner.
“Every one in here,†he said, motioning to the bin of weapons next to him in the police headquarters lobby, “won't hurt anyone out there.â€
Ms. McGuire said another motivation for the gun buyback is to get guns out of homes where children live.
As far as situations like that happening in Worcester, Sgt. Towner said, “Unfortunately, it does happen.â€
Although gift certificates to local businesses were used as incentives to turn in guns, Sgt. Towner said if there's no need for the weapon to be in the house anymore, the program is a good opportunity to get rid of it.
For a semiautomatic weapon, a $75 gift certificate was given; for a handgun, $50; for a rifle or shotgun, $25. Gift certificates came from Shaw's Supermarkets, Stop & Shop, Wal-Mart and Taylor Rental and were only given out in return for an operable gun -- although inoperable guns were also accepted.
Ms. McGuire wanted to clarify that someone could not turn in his or her weapon for a Wal-Mart gift certificate and then use it to buy a new gun.
“The gift certificates are coded so they can't buy guns with them,†she said.
Although this was Ms. McGuire's first time being involved with such an event in Worcester, Detective James W. Heffernan said this is the fifth or sixth event of its kind held in Worcester.
Ms. McGuire and Sgt. Towner said the possibility of holding another gun buyback next year would depend on funding, and Ms. McGuire said she hopes this could become an annual event in Worcester.
http://www.telegram.com/news/valley...10.0$20.0$10.0$0$0$33:USD:USD:L4,0,.05,.02,.0
WORCESTER, MA -- The Police Department collected almost twice as many guns Saturday as the previous weekend in the Goods for Guns buyback program, held at police headquarters at Lincoln Square.
Last weekend, 87 guns were collected. On Saturday, 171 guns were brought in, according to Colleen McGuire of UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center and the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester.
“We were hoping to get over 200 total, which we did,†Ms. McGuire said at the end of collection Saturday. “So we were pleased.â€
She said the 171 guns collected included 62 semiautomatic or automatic weapons, 67 revolvers or pistols and 42 rifles or shotguns.
The program, a collaboration between the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester, UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, UMass Memorial Trauma Center and the Police Department, helps to get weapons off the streets “so they don't wind up in the wrong hands,†said police Sgt. Michael A. Towner.
“Every one in here,†he said, motioning to the bin of weapons next to him in the police headquarters lobby, “won't hurt anyone out there.â€
Ms. McGuire said another motivation for the gun buyback is to get guns out of homes where children live.
As far as situations like that happening in Worcester, Sgt. Towner said, “Unfortunately, it does happen.â€
Although gift certificates to local businesses were used as incentives to turn in guns, Sgt. Towner said if there's no need for the weapon to be in the house anymore, the program is a good opportunity to get rid of it.
For a semiautomatic weapon, a $75 gift certificate was given; for a handgun, $50; for a rifle or shotgun, $25. Gift certificates came from Shaw's Supermarkets, Stop & Shop, Wal-Mart and Taylor Rental and were only given out in return for an operable gun -- although inoperable guns were also accepted.
Ms. McGuire wanted to clarify that someone could not turn in his or her weapon for a Wal-Mart gift certificate and then use it to buy a new gun.
“The gift certificates are coded so they can't buy guns with them,†she said.
Although this was Ms. McGuire's first time being involved with such an event in Worcester, Detective James W. Heffernan said this is the fifth or sixth event of its kind held in Worcester.
Ms. McGuire and Sgt. Towner said the possibility of holding another gun buyback next year would depend on funding, and Ms. McGuire said she hopes this could become an annual event in Worcester.
http://www.telegram.com/news/valley...10.0$20.0$10.0$0$0$33:USD:USD:L4,0,.05,.02,.0
