Chicago Police and St. Sabina Host Gun Buyback
Sep 28, 2024 Sat
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9 AM to 1 PM
The Chicago Police Department continues its efforts to reduce the number of unwanted firearms in the community through a buyback organized in partnership with St. Sabina Church.Event DetailsDate: Saturday, September 28Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Location: St. Sabina Church, 1210 W. 78th Place, Chicago (Auburn Gresham neighborhood)Compensation:$100 gift card for each functional firearm$10 gift card for each BB gun, air gun, or replica firearmEligibility: Open to all individuals, not limited to Chicago residentsProcess: Anonymous turn-in with no questions asked, no ID requiredOutcome: All surrendered firearms will be destroyed by the Chicago Police DepartmentContextGun buyback programs have been a consistent part of Chicago's public safety strategy since 2008.According to Glen Brooks, CPD Director of Community Policing, over 30,000 weapons have been collected through these programs since their inception.Commander Michael Tate of CPD's 6th District highlighted a particular concern addressed by these events: "One of the things that I've been seeing, and it's just September, we have a lot of kids who are bringing guns to school because they know where mom, dad, grandpa leave their guns because not everybody secures their guns. This is one of the ways we can prevent that from happening."Community Impact"What we are really doing is making Chicago homes much safer," said Glen Brooks, emphasizing the preventative nature of the program.Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Church, noted the diverse motivations that bring people to gun buyback events: "It's a mother who finds a gun in their child's room and says I want to get rid of this. They come turn it in. Sometimes it's a young man who says hey I want to turn my life around, I want to get rid of this."The program operates on a no-questions-asked basis to remove barriers that might prevent individuals from surrendering unwanted firearms. The Chicago Police Department typically holds at least two gun buybacks annually as part of their ongoing community safety initiatives.For additional information about this event, residents can contact St. Sabina Church or the Chicago Police Department's 6th District directly.
