422 Illegal Guns Turned in to Law Enforcement

DA-Police-Clergy ‘buy-back’ initiative gets 422 illegal weapons off the street

MINEOLA, NY – A joint operation led by the District Attorney, the Police Department and members of Nassau County’s clergy targeting illegal guns on Nassau County streets has resulted in the seizure of 422 illegal guns and 87 pellet guns and air pistols. Law enforcement paid a total of $86,140 to the anonymous donors of the weapons. 

Gun owners who brought in handguns or sawed-off shotguns received $200 in cash, and those who turned in BB guns and air pistols were given $20. No personal information was required, no forms needed to be signed, and no video or audio footage was recorded. The program was held at four churches in Freeport, Uniondale and Hempstead, and run by volunteers and church personnel. Rice said holding the event at local churches fosters an environment of trust.

“The community and the clergy’s involvement was crucial because it created an atmosphere of trust and added to the effort’s credibility,” Rice said. “Stopping gun violence in our county is one of my top priorities, and I’m extremely pleased with the results of this initiative.”

This is the first gun buy-back program in Nassau County in more than two decades.  The program is separate from the police-run GunStoppers initiative launched in February. GunStoppers encourages and provides a system for the anonymous reporting of gun information to a hotline. Tipsters receive cash if the information leads to the successful recovery of an illegal weapon.  The gun buy-back initiative and the GunStoppers program are both funded through money seized as the result of criminal prosecutions.

“The District Attorney, Commissioner Mulvey and I announced the Gun Buy Back program last week and I am very pleased with the successful outcome,” said County Executive Suozzi.  “Though we had said last week we would consider the program a success if 100 guns were brought in, we received over 450 weapons.  People were lined up outside the churches even before we opened!  We were able to make the streets safer for our residents and will continue this program in January.”

"The success of this weekend's gun buy back initiative was very encouraging in our efforts to remove illegal handguns from our neighborhoods,” said Commissioner Lawrence W. Mulvey.  “However it also serves as a reminder that more work needs to be done.  We will continue to be vigilant and innovative in this endeavor to make our communities safer from the illegal possession of handguns and the dangers associated with gun violence."  

The buy-back initiative, GunStoppers, Nassau PD’s new “ShotSpotter” acoustic ballistic notification system, the joint Hempstead-Nassau PD Gun Task Force and the District Attorney’s creation of a gun prosecution unit within her office are all part of an increase in law enforcement efforts to stem the flow of guns coming into Nassau County and to seize the illegal weapons already on our streets.