NEW HAVEN POLICE GUN BUYBACK SUSPENDED DUE TO OVERWHELMING RESPONSE

(7/24/2009) POLICE CELEBRATE PROGRAM’S SUCCESS

NEW HAVEN- In the first 12 hours of the New Haven Police Department’s gun buyback program, Officers collected 47 guns with firearms still flowing in. This year’s collection tops last year’s gun buyback program where 80 guns were collected over a period of 14 days. The program has yielded more guns than expected requiring the Department to suspend the $100 Walmart giftcard reward that residents were receiving in exchange for their firearms. The Department is working on securing additional funds to relaunch the program in the near future and take additional guns off of the streets.

Despite not having rewards to offer at this time, the Department still encourages residents to do the right thing and turn in their firearms by contacting the Lt. Kenneth Blanchard in the Department’s gun unit at 946-6304.

The firearms that were collected: 15 Semi automatic pistols, 18 revolvers, 3 Derringers, 5

Sawed off shotguns, 2 Shot guns and 4 rifles will be on display for the media to view from 2:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. today.

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Contact Name: Jessica Mayorga

Contact Email: jmayorga@newhavenct.net

Contact Phone: 203-946-7660