Suffolk County Gun Buyback Offers Cash For Working And Non-Working Firearms At Hauppauge Drop Site
Schneiderman: We Are Seeking To Keep Families Safe, Remove Guns From The Wrong Hands And From Places They Can Be Stolen Or Misused
HAUPPAUGE – As part of his statewide gun buyback program, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman is holding a press conference at a gun buyback program in Hauppauge today along with Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone. The program accepts working and non-working, unloaded weapons in exchange for compensation on site. The Long Island event, the seventh gun buyback program sponsored by Attorney General Schneiderman’s office, is a collaborative effort among the office, Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone and the Suffolk County Police Department.
“By providing a financial incentive for individuals to turn in unwanted weapons, we are helping to prevent dangerous firearms from ending up in the wrong hands,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “My office’s gun buyback program is a critical component of our ongoing efforts to eradicate the devastating gun violence that has plagued our neighborhoods for far too long and give New Yorkers across the state the peace of mind they deserve.”
County Executive Steve Bellonesaid, “I thank Attorney General Schneiderman for bringing this gun buyback program to Suffolk County. Providing the buyback opportunity for Suffolk residents to turn in unwanted firearms helps to make our communities safer.”
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Edward Webbersaid, “Removing firearms from our streets is a key component in combatting violent crime in Suffolk County. The department would like to thank Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for securing funds for this program that will benefit all residents.”
The event, which is running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., is being held at the H. Lee Dennison Building, at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway.
Attorney General Schneiderman launched his statewide guy buyback program in Rochester in September 2013. Saturday’s event in Hauppauge was the seventh the office has sponsored. The events resulted in the turning in of 749 firearms, not including weapons returned today.
In 2011, close to 33,000 Americans were victims of gun-related deaths. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence reports that an average of 268 people are shot every day in America. That's 97,820 people shot per year.
At the events, the Attorney General's Office offers money in the form of debit cards when a gun is received by law enforcement officers. Debit cards with the appropriate amount are issued after each unloaded gun is received and screened by the officers on site.
Guns must be transported to the drop-off site unloaded and placed in a plastic or paper bag or box. Both working and non-working firearms will be accepted. There is no limit on the number of firearms an individual can return. Licensed gun dealers and active or retired law enforcement officers are not eligible for this program.
The Attorney General's Office will be providing the following compensation by debit card for firearms returned on site:
- $25 for non-working or antique firearms;
- $75 for rifles and shotguns;
- $100 for handguns;
- $150 for assault weapons.
The gun buyback program is one part of Attorney General Schneiderman’s broader initiative to protect New Yorkers from gun violence. In March, he toured the Long Island Gun Show in Hauppauge to highlight the success of his office’s Model Gun Show Procedures, which ensure that everyone who buys a gun at a gun show undergoes a background check. Virtually every gun show operator across the state has voluntarily signed on to the procedures, making sure that firearms stay out of the wrong hands. More information on the event is available here.