Thundar
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Chesapeake to swap $100 gift cards for handguns
Posted to: Chesapeake Crime News
Two sides
Critics say such efforts don’t generally attract criminals; the programs are too costly; and participants can use the money to buy better guns. The city says it is offering gift cards to prevent people from trading up and is looking for donations to fund the effort.
By Kristin Davis
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 18, 2008
CHESAPEAKE
Police officers will swap $100 gift cards for handguns - and only handguns - in the city's first buyback program planned for later this year.
It's a departure from other gift certificates-for-guns projects that have accepted everything from Grandpa's World War II carbine to Dad's hunting rifle.
The buyback is one of several citizen-generated initiatives that sprang from a series of Chesapeake community meetings following the July 1 deaths of two South Norfolk men. Both were killed by people armed with handguns.
The city plans to set up at least two locations one day this winter where gift certificates from a major retail store will be traded for unloaded handguns in working order - no questions asked. Police will take other types of firearms, but they won't hand out gift cards for those, said Officer Dorienne Boykin, Chesapeake Police Department spokeswoman.
Hundreds of people lined up to trade rifles, pistols, sawed-off shotguns, assault weapons and a host of other guns for $100 gift certificates in a Newport News buyback nearly a year ago.
The program netted 357 firearms - and was considered so successful that another one is planned for December, said Newport News police spokeswoman Holly McPherson.
Critics say that such efforts generally attract law-abiding citizens rather than criminals or would-be criminals; that the programs are too costly; and that participants can use the money to buy better guns.
Chesapeake hopes donations from private companies will fund the initiative, Boykin said.
They're offering gift cards instead of cash to prevent people from trading up.
"It's good to get guns off the street, but that's not the solution," said Calvin Coley, a felon and former gang member who now speaks out against crime.
"After I spend my gift certificate, I'm back to where I was. A gun was my protection, my survival tool," Coley said. "After you turn it in, what else do you have to offer them? What do you have for the guy who turns in his gun and really wants to make a difference?"
Dr. Lin Hill, director of South Norfolk Christian Outreach Ministry, called the buyback "just one of the slices in the pie."
Several crime-prevention strategies are planned in Chesapeake throughout the next year, including a campaign to encourage young people to report crimes, mentoring programs and faith-based re-entry services for those recently released from jail.
Police will determine whether the weapons exchanged in the Chesapeake buyback are stolen or were used in the commission of a crime, Boykin said.
Stolen guns will be returned to their owners. Guns used in crimes will be processed as evidence.
The rest will be destroyed, Boykin said.
Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com
Chesapeake to swap $100 gift cards for handguns
Posted to: Chesapeake Crime News
Two sides
Critics say such efforts don’t generally attract criminals; the programs are too costly; and participants can use the money to buy better guns. The city says it is offering gift cards to prevent people from trading up and is looking for donations to fund the effort.
By Kristin Davis
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 18, 2008
CHESAPEAKE
Police officers will swap $100 gift cards for handguns - and only handguns - in the city's first buyback program planned for later this year.
It's a departure from other gift certificates-for-guns projects that have accepted everything from Grandpa's World War II carbine to Dad's hunting rifle.
The buyback is one of several citizen-generated initiatives that sprang from a series of Chesapeake community meetings following the July 1 deaths of two South Norfolk men. Both were killed by people armed with handguns.
The city plans to set up at least two locations one day this winter where gift certificates from a major retail store will be traded for unloaded handguns in working order - no questions asked. Police will take other types of firearms, but they won't hand out gift cards for those, said Officer Dorienne Boykin, Chesapeake Police Department spokeswoman.
Hundreds of people lined up to trade rifles, pistols, sawed-off shotguns, assault weapons and a host of other guns for $100 gift certificates in a Newport News buyback nearly a year ago.
The program netted 357 firearms - and was considered so successful that another one is planned for December, said Newport News police spokeswoman Holly McPherson.
Critics say that such efforts generally attract law-abiding citizens rather than criminals or would-be criminals; that the programs are too costly; and that participants can use the money to buy better guns.
Chesapeake hopes donations from private companies will fund the initiative, Boykin said.
They're offering gift cards instead of cash to prevent people from trading up.
"It's good to get guns off the street, but that's not the solution," said Calvin Coley, a felon and former gang member who now speaks out against crime.
"After I spend my gift certificate, I'm back to where I was. A gun was my protection, my survival tool," Coley said. "After you turn it in, what else do you have to offer them? What do you have for the guy who turns in his gun and really wants to make a difference?"
Dr. Lin Hill, director of South Norfolk Christian Outreach Ministry, called the buyback "just one of the slices in the pie."
Several crime-prevention strategies are planned in Chesapeake throughout the next year, including a campaign to encourage young people to report crimes, mentoring programs and faith-based re-entry services for those recently released from jail.
Police will determine whether the weapons exchanged in the Chesapeake buyback are stolen or were used in the commission of a crime, Boykin said.
Stolen guns will be returned to their owners. Guns used in crimes will be processed as evidence.
The rest will be destroyed, Boykin said.
Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com