Fayetteville Feel Good Pointless Gun Buyback

| November 24, 2014

From the Fayetteville Observer

So many guns were collected during Fayetteville’s first gun buyback event Saturday that police had to start giving out IOUs after about two hours.

More than 250 guns were collected, according to a Fayetteville police spokesman.

The Rev. Mark Rowden, who was a driving force behind the event, said the response was incredible.

“It has exceeded my expectations,” he said.

How much taxpayer money did they spend you may wonder?

Yep, I know the article claims that around $25,000 came from seized funds but isn’t any money seized by our government the property of the citizens?

Anyone who surrendered an assault-style weapon or handgun got a $200 Visa prepaid gift card. Anyone who turned in a rifle or shotgun was given a $150 gift card.

Fayetteville police gave out $30,000 in gift cards and IOUs for another $20,000. The people who did not get gift cards will get them later through the mail or by picking them up.

What about checking for stolen guns, were any arrest made?

No questions were asked when the guns were turned in. Police officials would not let members of the media photograph or talk to people giving back the guns.

Police officers checked the guns to make sure they were in working order. Serial numbers were checked to see whether the weapons were stolen, several of which were.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock said. “The driver of the car still has anonymity.”

From what I read and saw on news videos they collected a lot of junk and a few scary black guns.  They gave more than a pawn shop would have. I saw a lot of Marlin model 60’s and a bunch of single shot  shotguns.  I did see something that appeared to be a real Ivory gripped revolver, but we all know that will get destroyed with the rest of the junk. It would never end up in some police officers collection would it now? Anyone?

I don’t see where this did any good at all other than possibly encouraging the theft of guns in the days and weeks leading up to this well publicized event.

So a total of $50,000 dollars was spent to get 250 guns off the street, it makes good press but in reality it did little to get guns out of the hands of criminals.

They would have been better served to have spent that 50 grand in firearms safety courses for the public, or just dropping it into a salvation army pot.  Either of those would have made a greater impact on the community.

I will admit that had I known I would have been more than happy to sell them some of the junk I have sitting around.

 

 

Category: Guns, Police, Politics

12 Comments
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OWB

Maybe they need to run those serial numbers again in a few weeks to see just how many of those firearms mysteriously disappeared, but have not yet been discovered to be missing.

2/17 Air Cav

X falsely reports his gun stolen. At buy-back time, X gives Y the gun to turn in for a gift card. X then claims his property, which must be returned to him, its rightful owner. The owner has his gun and a gift card and the do-gooders feel good. Everybody wins!

Al T.

I’m eagerly waiting on a buy-back (like it was ever theirs to begin with) around here so I can get rid of a couple of junk guns I have. I’ll use the money for more toys. 🙂

Jonn Lilyea

250 guns in Fayetteville – that’s one day’s sales on Bragg Boulevard.

2/17 Air Cav

What happens if ballistics testing establishes that one of these guns is found to have been used in a rape, robbery, or murder? Do the police honor their word that those who turn in the guns shall remain anonymous. Is this the newest version of DADT?

Stacy0311

So is it legal to show up at the buy back with a butt load of cash and make a better offer if someone shows up with a gun you’d like to buy?

ArmyATC

It happened in Seattle last year and a few other places IIRC. The dealers stood near the beginning of the line and offered more in cash than the police were giving.

FatCircles0311

Yes and it’s very common. Police hate it and try to get the buyers away from the area via intimidation and outright bullshit lying about breaking laws.

Ex-PH2

I figure for every gun the po-po buy back, there are another 10 on the street if it isn’t WDC,ago, L.A. or NYC.

If it’s WDC, another 20 that missed the collection date.

If it’s Chicago, another 50 ‘ain’t nobody knows nuthin’ about’.

If it’s L.A. (especially east L.A.), probably 150 que no lo conosco.

If it’s NYC, they’re probably all hidden underground in those mysterious subway tunnels that no one ever goes to.

And that brings me to Camden, NJ, possibly the worst neighborhood in the country. Worse than Detroit City. I haven’t been in that area in a LONG while, but I’m pretty sure that guns there are like cockroaches: you get one, there are an infinite number you will never see, hidden away.

These cops are so dumb and the money they waste on this could be better spent on training cops to not be assholes and on vests.

Sparks

What a waste of taxpayer money in cash and police force wages. These things have never paid off. If they had demanded ID, only a few would have shown up. The very few who were legit and the rest criminals too dumb to see a sting when the wasp is on their nose. All of you above made great and valid points about why these programs don’t work, can be easily circumvented and never truly make even a door ding the the armored truck that is, illegal guns.

The Other Whitey

$250? My beat-up Mosin Nagant bluebooks for more than that! These people need to be advised that the cops are ripping them off. On that note, I could potentially be willing to beat their price, depending on what’s being sold…

GDContractor