fallingblock
Member
But they proceed anyway
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Guns amnesty won't affect criminals
September 21, 2003
The NSW government will press ahead with its illegal handguns amnesty despite admitting it is unlikely to take firearms from the hands of criminals.
Police Minister John Watkins officially launched the "no questions asked" campaign that will allow people with illegal firearms to hand them to police with impunity from October to March next year.
It coincides with the six month national gun buyback scheme for recently outlawed types of handguns.
Police have backed the amnesty but Police Association president Ian Ball said it was obvious criminals were not going to be handing their weapons over.
"Let's be honest here," he said.
"Honest people who have had guns in their possession when they probably shouldn't have are going to be the ones handing them back.
"Criminals are not going to hand them back."
Nonetheless, he said, the association was very supportive of the move.
"Anything that gets guns off the street is a good thing," Mr Ball said.
But opposition police spokesman Peter Debnam said the buyback and amnesty would do little to reduce the number of handguns in the possession of criminals.
"Criminals and thugs are simply not going to hand them in," he said.
"They will be laughing all the way to their next bank robbery."
He advocated tougher sentences and more resources for traditional policing.
Mr Watkins also acknowledged that criminals were unlikely to have a moral turnaround and hand their weapons over.
"The gun amnesty is not targeting criminals ... People will hold firearms for a number of reasons," he said.
***********************************************************
Guns amnesty won't affect criminals
September 21, 2003
The NSW government will press ahead with its illegal handguns amnesty despite admitting it is unlikely to take firearms from the hands of criminals.
Police Minister John Watkins officially launched the "no questions asked" campaign that will allow people with illegal firearms to hand them to police with impunity from October to March next year.
It coincides with the six month national gun buyback scheme for recently outlawed types of handguns.
Police have backed the amnesty but Police Association president Ian Ball said it was obvious criminals were not going to be handing their weapons over.
"Let's be honest here," he said.
"Honest people who have had guns in their possession when they probably shouldn't have are going to be the ones handing them back.
"Criminals are not going to hand them back."
Nonetheless, he said, the association was very supportive of the move.
"Anything that gets guns off the street is a good thing," Mr Ball said.
But opposition police spokesman Peter Debnam said the buyback and amnesty would do little to reduce the number of handguns in the possession of criminals.
"Criminals and thugs are simply not going to hand them in," he said.
"They will be laughing all the way to their next bank robbery."
He advocated tougher sentences and more resources for traditional policing.
Mr Watkins also acknowledged that criminals were unlikely to have a moral turnaround and hand their weapons over.
"The gun amnesty is not targeting criminals ... People will hold firearms for a number of reasons," he said.
:banghead: 
