Posted on 07/31/2003 2:24:33 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
NIAGARA FALLS - Niagara County Legislator Renae Kimble is proposing that the county look for money to buy guns from street thugs.
Kimble, D-Niagara Falls, said she is offering a resolution at Tuesday's Legislature meeting to institute a gun amnesty program in response to the recent rash of homicides and other shootings in Niagara Falls.
The hope is to entice owners of illegal guns to turn them in for destruction by police.
"The key incentives within this program are complete anonymity for those turning in the guns, financial incentive as part of the buy-back program and the sense of increased safety with these dangerous and oftentimes illegal weapons being taken off of the streets," Kimble said in a statement.
Kimble, the only African-American legislator, represents an inner-city district where some of the recent shootings have occurred.
The resolution calls on District Attorney Matthew J. Murphy III to seek grants to finance the program.
"I'm not aware of any," said Murphy, who added he has assigned a law clerk to search for such grants.
"I think it's worth a shot, no pun intended," said Niagara Falls Police Chief Christopher J. Carlin. "If we can get one gun off the street using that method, it's worth it."
He said the city has discussed such a program and is inquiring about federal funds.
In 1999 and 2000, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Clinton administration and Secretary Andrew A. Cuomo tried a gun buy-back program in federally subsidized housing projects.
It estimated than 20,000 guns were bought in 80 cities, but cities had to use federal money that otherwise would have been allocated to anti-drug programs to buy the guns. The Bush administration abolished the program in 2001.
Carlin said buy-backs and amnesties aren't the same thing. He said not charging someone for illegal weapons possession is a decision only Murphy can make. He also said someone who had used the gun in a crime such as a robbery or a homicide would be able to avoid prosecution by surrendering the gun.
"Just doing buy-backs, you get a lot of junk that's sitting in people's attics," Carlin said.
Asked about the wisdom of the program, Murphy said: "I don't really have an opinion about it. I'm doing to do some research, whether it's been done in other parts of the country." He said he would consult with area law enforcement officials.
Kimble's resolution instructs the county attorney's office to seek information from other communities that may have tried this experiment in the past.
She said: "I have been approached by a vast number of constituents and other area residents who are truly scared and are looking to their elected representatives for a solution. The gun amnesty program provides a mechanism which takes guns off the streets, decreasing the opportunity for violent activity from non-law-abiding citizens."
Gun buy-back programs first surfaced in the early 1990s. About 30 cities tried them in 1991 and 1992. In many cities, the money ran out before everyone who wanted to surrender a gun could do so.
Buffalo bought more than 2,000 guns for $75,000 from citizens who turned them in during a 1993 campaign, but officials said many of the guns either didn't work or came from widows and aging military veterans who were technically holding them illegally.
Chautauqua County tried the program in 1997. In a two-week period, 45 guns were turned in, most by senior citizens. The county paid $50 for working guns and $25 for guns that didn't function.
In 1999, 659 guns were bought for $100 each during a one-month amnesty in Brooklyn.
e-mail: tprohaska@buffnews.com
Are politicians really so stupid as to think that the murderers and robbers and rapists and drug dealers are going to give up their guns for $50?
That should work. Between that and paying farmers to not grow tobacco, the day is beginning to shape up.
If not, how can they buy them "back"?
If not, is it not the case that each and every individual who conducts such transactions is guilty of federal crimes (firearms violations)? Is the pol who proposes this not guilty of conspiracy to violate federal firearms regulations?
--Boris (not a lawyer, but curious)
Yep! Even if the weapon murdered your spouse or neighbor.
Isn't this Country great.
That's why the terrorist just love it here.
What a tremendous waste of taxpayers' dollars.
Geeeeeze, how stooopid is that? Most of the guns were turned in by elderly citizens. Yep, they're pretty dangerous, as street thugs go. $25 for guns that didn't function? What's the point of that? If they don't function, how dangerous are they? I guess you could throw it somebody, and maybe cause a bruise or two. Nothing but feel-good garbage from the bliss nannies.
Also, people with old broken guns can get cash that they can use to buy new guns.
Most important, they let idiot liberals feel like they are doing something to reduce hand guns, hopefully preventing them from doing anything even more stupid.
Actually, gun buy-back programs do have an advantage for the gun-grabbers, in that many of the firearms collected are those that haven't had any recorded transfers in the last 35 years, i.e. since GCA'68. I think politicians recognize that some such firearms may potentially be pure gold to any constitutional-reinstatement forces.
I've seen some used ones in the $40's. Even saw a Jennings .22 new "as-is" for about $49.
you can't tell they don't function when they are included in the Big Pile of Guns photo.
It's all about the image
What an abject toady moron. The guy's dumber than Wiggum.
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