Niagara Falls, NY to roll out first gun buyback program in history due to violence

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http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs...55/1002Niagara Falls to roll out first gun buyback programBY: NANCY FISCHER / NEWS NIAGARA REPORTERAdvertisementThe Niagara Falls Police Department has decided to undertake its first gun buyback program, after more than 20 people were shot in the city last year.And that’s just one piece of a more comprehensive effort to address the gun violence in the city that plays host to millions of tourists from across the world each year.“It’s a lot more than a gun buy back. It’s a whole gun reduction strategy, but we are focusing on illegal guns,” Police Superintendent E. Bryan DalPorto said today.“We are not trying to infringe on the Second Amendment. We are just trying to dispose of old, unwanted guns and illegal guns,” said DalPorto, who has spoken in favor of the state’s plan to restrict ownership of assault rifles.“What we’ve found is that the gun buybacks with the most success weren’t only a gun buyback. It had an educational component, which is what we are doing,” he said. “Opponents of gun buybacks think you may not be getting illegal guns off the street, but there’s no way to gauge whether a legal gun today becomes an illegal gun tomorrow.”Falls officials were concerned about gun violence before a national debate emerged in recent weeks, in the wake of fatal shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and of two firefighters outside Rochester.DalPorto said 21 people were shot in the city in the first 11 months of last year, including a 2-year-old girl who was shot in the face in a drive-by shooting in a grocery store parking lot. The shootings also included a homicide. Luis A. Ubiles, 37, who was found shot near his home Sept. 25 on South Avenue.In response to past street violence, city police developed the “Help Eliminate Armed Thugs” – or HEAT – program, which this year will include its first gun buyback event from noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 23, in the Niagara Falls Fire Station at 11th Street and Ontario Avenue.Meanwhile, the Niagara Falls Block Club Council and Men Against Destruction Defending Against Drugs and Social Disorder – MAD DADS – will work with police to address community strategies to reduce violence, DalPorto said.For a second year in a row the department will receive a $50,000 state grant, obtained through Niagara County Legislator Owen T. Steed, D-Niagara Falls, 4th District, to operate HEAT. He said that program confiscated 47 guns illegal guns last year.“This is targeted enforcement. These guns came from known criminals, from people we know weren’t supposed to have them,” DalPorto said.DalPorto said 2013 grant money again will be used for targeted enforcement, including search warrants and payments to confidential informants to help find illegal guns. The money also will be used for police overtime, the gun buyback and live ammunition drop, and an educational component which will provide gun safety classes for legal gun owners. Free trigger locks also will be offered through funds provided by Niagara Falls block clubs.DalPorto also said that recent redeployment of patrol cars has led to quicker response times, which led police to respond to a call of shots fired Monday night and the arrest of Matthew P. Boos, who they said shot and killed a possum in his backyard.The investigation led officers to find and confiscate five long guns, including two assault rifles, and a handgun, as well as two wooden batons, a high capacity gun clip and ammunition found in the house, police said.Boos, 32, who police said did not have a pistol permit, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling and reckless endangerment.DalPorto said of Monday’s seizure: “We’re not kidding. These are the guns that are out there. This could be your neighbor.”Guns will be accepted at the buyback no questions asked, DalPorto said.Those turning in non-working guns will be given $10; working long guns and rifles $50; handguns $75; and assault rifles $100.All of the guns will be destroyed, and none will be resold, kept by police or sold to officers, DalPorto said.He added that police will not short change any owners of legally-possessed antique or valuable guns. Firearms training experts will identify these guns, take the gun for safe-keeping, give the owner a property receipt and then facilitate the sale of the gun to a gun dealer.“Our goal is to stem the tide of gun violence in Niagara Falls,” the police superintendent said. “It is an issue, but we are working at every possible solution to address it.”email: nfischer@buffnews.com

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didnt mean to post everything all together like that, there was a glitch, and this website doesn't allow you to fix errors after 15 minutes. sorry about that