Albany, GA
Past
Albany Police Host Community Day with Gun Buyback
Nov 18, 2023 Sat
•
12 PM
to 3 PM
The Albany Police Department will host a multi-service Community Day event this Saturday, offering residents various resources including a no-questions-asked gun buyback program.The comprehensive event aims to provide community members with access to mental health resources, medication disposal, rights restoration services, and an opportunity to safely remove unwanted firearms from their homes.Event DetailsDate: Saturday, November 18, 2023Time: Noon to 3 p.m.Primary Location: Albany Civic CenterAlternative Location: Police headquarters at 201 W. Oglethorpe Blvd. (in case of inclement weather)Terms of Exchange: $100 gift card for each firearm turned inEligibility: Open to all residents, no identification requiredAdditional Services:Medication disposalMental health resourcesRights restoration for eligible individualsInformation from Albany/Dougherty Drug Unit and Gang UnitAlbany Young Marines program informationSurrender ProcedureResidents wishing to turn in firearms should place them in bags in their vehicle trunks. Upon arrival, officers will direct participants to a designated area where police will safely retrieve and secure the weapons.Serial numbers will be checked to identify any stolen firearms.Context and ImpactThis event represents approximately the third gun buyback initiative organized by the Albany Police Department, with the previous event in 2021 resulting in the collection of about 43 weapons.The current program is funded through private donations, including contributions from Crime Stoppers, rather than taxpayer dollars.According to Albany City Commissioner Chad Warbington, a member of the commission's Public Safety Committee, there are numerous reasons residents might wish to remove firearms from their homes.These include situations where weapons belonged to deceased family members or concerns about household members with mental health issues having access to firearms.The rights restoration service available at the event could also provide significant benefits to eligible individuals whose cases were initiated by the Albany Police Department. "It can be a brand new start for people who need a fresh start. It may be just what you need to get on the right track," explained Luster.
