Gun Buy Back Program Held at HAVFD Station 1

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013, Fire Station # 1 was the scene of the Gun Buy Back Program, which was sponsored by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Franklin County District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. They were offering a unique opportunity to turn in guns with no questions asked. Chief Ron LaFrance said, “In the aftermath of Newtown, Connecticut we want to get unwanted guns off the streets. We just want to do our part to keep the community safe.”

The goal of the program is to reduce firearm related violent crime by taking firearms off the streets and encourage community participation in an effort to deter firearm violence. Sgt. Det. Matt Rourke said, “The Tribe donated a lot of money to keep the community safe and they approved it very quickly.”

All weapons collected from the program will be destroyed at a site downstate.

If you turned in a weapon you could receive $100 for shotguns or rifles, $200 for a handgun or assault rifle, $20 for high capacity magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition and  $25-$50 for bb guns or non-working shot guns.

If you missed the drop off, a press release from the office of Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne said that there will be several drop-off points and dates throughout Franklin County.

On a related note, a website has been created to answer any questions about the new NYS gun law. The website is: http://www.governor.ny.gov/2013/gun-reforms-faq

The website, NY SAFE Act FAQ, answers many questions like which guns are now considered assault weapons.