San Mateo County Sheriff's Sgt. Pronske, back right, hands a rifle to San Mateo County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy Simmonds that was turned in at a gun buy back initiated by the Citizens for a San Mateo County Gun Buyback in Redwood City, California, on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)
SAN CARLOS — San Mateo County is holding a gun buyback event Saturday to get more guns off the street, offering $50 to $200 for any guns turned in to the police.
Officials are offering $50 $50 for non-functioning firearms, $100 for handguns shotguns and rifles, and $200 for assault weapons or unregistered “ghost guns.”
The event will be held at 1000 Skyway Road in San Carlos from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and participants must transport their firearms unloaded in a vehicle trunk or in a locked container.
“Fewer guns means fewer chances for guns falling into the wrong hands,” San Mateo County Supervisor and former Sheriff Don Horsley said in a statement. “You can keep your family safer if you get rid of unwanted firearms. It’s tragic but over half of all suicides occur with the use of a firearm.”
The county has had success in getting guns off the street through similar buyback programs in the past. The county has collected 2,071 firearms over five buybacks held since 2018, paying out a total of $206,500. In 2021, the Board of Supervisors pledged to hold gun buybacks through 2023 with funds from the voter-approved Measure K sales tax that provides local funds for local needs.
“Our communities are generally safe,” said Supervisor Dave Pine. “But gun violence remains and many tragedies occur due to easily accessible guns. Removing unwanted guns is a significant step to improve community safety.”
Anyone with questions is asked to call 650-363-4800.
Originally published at Aldo Toledo