Essex gun buyback program brings in more than 700 firearms in two days

By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger
December 21, 2009, 5:42PM

NEWARK -- Among the more than 700 firearms turned in for cash at last week’s gun amnesty buyback program in Newark, East Orange and Irvington were: an M-16 assault rifle, a Streetsweeper rifle that resembles a "Tommy Gun" and shoots multiple shotgun shells, scores of revolvers, semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns.

Hundreds of the weapons were on display today during a news conference with Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow, county Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and others on hand to tout the program’s success.

newark-gun.JPGEssex County Prosecutor's OfficeHundreds of shotguns, rifles, handguns and semiautomatic weapons were turned in during last week's gun amnesty buyback program in Newark, East Orange and Irvington. Dozens of the weapons were on display today in Orange during a news conference.

"I think that the best thing money can buy is saving a life," Dow said, speaking from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Crime Scene Unit building in Orange. "If we save even one life by that program, I think the entire buyback program is a huge success."

The two-day initiative took place at four churches in the three communities.

The prosecutor’s office secured $75,000 so residents could turn in their firearms, no questions asked, for up to $200 per weapon. The money was secured through forfeiture funds.

The firearms turned in will be melted down and destroyed, said Anthony Ambrose, chief of investigators at the prosecutor’s office. Detectives will never know whether one of those weapons may have been used in a crime. "That’s why it’s an amnesty program," Ambrose said.

Despite last week’s bitter cold temperatures and long lines, so many people showed up for the buyback that every location ran out of funds early, Dow said.

The initiative was aimed at reducing the level of violence in those crime-troubled areas, officials said.

At today's news conference, Booker said Dow’s "visionary leadership" has shown that "gun violence is not something we have to accept, we can do something about it," and noted how shootings in Newark have been cut in half over the last few years.

Homicides in the city have increased this year, however. There have been 73 killings so far in 2009, compared with 67 for all of 2008, Newark police said. By comparison, there were 99 homicides in Newark in 2007 and 107 in 2006.

East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser said buyback programs, while important, cannot solve the gun violence problem.

People should be "aware that we’ve got to limit the number of purchases of guns also," he said. Bowser, who is a representative for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, added, "we got to close the loopholes at the shows where people go and just buy a whole carload of guns and then sell them. And then we then have to deal with them on the street."
Previous coverage:

• Essex gun buyback program brings in more than 400 guns at Newark churches

• Gun buyback gets renewed life in Newark, Irvington and East Orange

• Newark gun buyback program ends early after funds run out

• Response to Newark gun buyback program exceeds expectations, drains budget
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Story tags: east-orange | irvington | newark

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jeffcon
Posted by jeffcon
December 21, 2009, 4:42PM

Here is a real money making opportunity. Do ballistics on the guns, and sell them back to Newark residents with thug names. It is a win/win.
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njfor007
Posted by njfor007
December 21, 2009, 4:44PM

With the 200.00 is not a bad Deal ,, They can just buy themself a much better one in the market - Clean or dirty .
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bennielawsonjr
Posted by bennielawsonjr
December 21, 2009, 4:51PM

Thanks for the $$$$ Essex county!
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vinmega
Posted by vinmega
December 21, 2009, 4:53PM

nice to get rid of the throw aways...no questions asked and $200!!
Why wouldnt I get rid of my cheap dirty pistol.
Ill just go buy another.....
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vinmega
Posted by vinmega
December 21, 2009, 4:53PM

OH and by the way, that last message was from a criminal's perspective.
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newrkpeeches
Posted by newrkpeeches
December 21, 2009, 5:38PM

Total waste of time and money. Even if you could rid society of all firearms, this pig culture will just kill each other with knives, rocks, broken bottles, screwdrivers or whatever. The government created this animalistic society with the welfare system and cannot control it.

Birth control is the answer.
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radicalreign
Posted by John
December 21, 2009, 9:07PM

I like the way you think!
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krawen
Posted by bornraisedresides
December 21, 2009, 10:13PM

Well atleast with a knife, broken bottle, screwdriver, etc. these aimless thugs can probably hit their targets and hopefully not innocent people.
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whalid
Posted by whalid
December 21, 2009, 5:42PM

THEY SHOULD DO THIS PROGRAM ONCE A WEEK!! However, they should collect some kind of background/record on the guns for intelligence purposes at the least, before destroying them.
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doctorphil1
Posted by doctorphil1
December 21, 2009, 5:56PM

Commit a crime with a gun and what is the best way to dispose of it? At the "no questions asked" amnesty program!!! And what do you do with the $200 you got for the gun you turned in? Buy a clean gun to use in your next crime.

Does anyone else see what's wrong here???
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mm3307
Posted by politicsasusual
December 21, 2009, 6:27PM

$200 cash? That's nuts. How about a choice of assorted gift cards, or a pair of Nets tickets, or something, not cash.
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radicalreign
Posted by John
December 21, 2009, 9:09PM

How about they just exchange them for rocket launchers!
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GeoSports
Posted by GeoSports
December 21, 2009, 7:17PM

I would like to meet anyone who has ever seen anyone buy a "carload of guns" at a gun show. Please.
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monmouthcnty
Posted by monmouthcnty
December 21, 2009, 7:25PM

What a great idea! A gun exchange program! Tell me how this doesn't just perpetuate the black market for guns? Let's say I'm a thug. I have this POS little gun that jams all the time because I don't know how to clean it. I say to myself. Yes! I can get $200 dollars for this POS and get a brand new one! lol what a bunch of mindless retards we have in charge! I love it!
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06njryda
Posted by 06njryda
December 21, 2009, 8:16PM

Dr Phil I agree with you. It's a clever hustle and I'm sure more than a few people turned their guns in with a smile.

Politicsasusual: 1 gun exchange would equal at least 8 Nets tickets. Where the hell are we going to find 8 Nets fans in NJ??
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NikonPhotoPro
Posted by Todd DeChalus
December 21, 2009, 9:34PM

I wish I had one to turn in I could use the MONEY......I'm Broke
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sunday0401
Posted by sunday0401
December 21, 2009, 9:42PM

Just a great opportunity for criminals to get rid of guns they have used in crimes. Is no fair to the victims and their families. Is also just another way the State of New Jersey waste taxpayers money.
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untrainedhoodratz
Posted by untrainedhoodratz
December 21, 2009, 10:57PM

they should do this more often
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newarksown
Posted by newarksown
December 22, 2009, 5:17AM

Lets see if this will make the few days we have left in 2009 safer in Newark, probably not, but it is the Christmas Season, miracles do happen.
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bman1313
Posted by bman1313
December 22, 2009, 8:13AM

Supply and Demand. This does nothing but create demand. So, now black people go to Virginia and white people go visit skin head neo-nazi infested PA to buy more guns. (Go to a gun show in PA before you reply to this and see for yourself). And run them back up here. The state has established the market price. Merry xmas.

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section426
Posted by section426
December 22, 2009, 9:07AM

It's sad that politicians are stupid enough to think that this makes us safer. Does anyone really think that the criminals are going to give up their guns?
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alisha122190
Posted by BrickCityQueen
December 22, 2009, 10:50AM

Well this is not the smartest idea now is it. They take the guns "no questions asked" and have murders walk away scott free!!!! That is ridiculous. And then they ended the program because funds ran out right, well what the hell did they do with all the people who were left over still holding guns in their possession????? Did they let them walk away scott free as well???? What a great f*kin idea.
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hwalkeriii
Posted by smarterthanu
December 22, 2009, 11:48AM

This is the problem with public officials, absolutely NO common sense. This program is basically credit for criminals! They'll take the $200 (or more if turning in multiple guns) use it as capital for some other criminal act, make a profit, and then use the profit to buy newer, better guns!! Only to sell them again at the next buy back! Not to mention the argument that this really is a great way to dispose of a weapon that has been used in a crime. When are the police and politicians going to become smarter than the criminals??? Morons...
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