City police are buying guns Saturday from area residents – no questions asked.
Guns will be checked for ballistics and theft, but sellers will remain anonymous, thus unattached from any crimes tied to the guns.
If ballistic testing ties a gun to a crime it will be used for evidence. Guns that check out to be stolen will be returned to the rightful owner. All others will be destroyed.
Cops will accept guns from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, December 15 at Galloway Entertainment Complex (a sponsor), 8340 N. Broadway in Baden.
Revolvers and shotguns go for $50 and assault type weapons $100.
The program grew out of Operation Safe Zone, a 4-month-old pilot program in the 27th Ward whereby police officers become very visible for 28 to 30 days.
The visibility is intended to deter drug dealing and restore vitality to the neighborhood, known as one of the most dangerous in the city.
During one of the OSZ meetings convened by various organizations, Arika Parr, of Clear Channel, suggested buying guns back.
The police department ran with it.
“If you save one life, it’s worth it,” said Maj. Alfred Adkins, commander of North Patrol in North St. Louis.
“North Patrol has had more gun-related crimes citywide, so we’re trying to control some of the violet crimes that occur,” Adkins said.
The murder rate in St. Louis City for 2007 was 124 at press time, capping last year’s murder rate of 121.
Walnut Park East and West have amassed 61 total armed robberies in 2007. Nearby Mark Twain neighborhood has recorded 27 and 51 aggregated assaults.
Captain Mary E. Edwards-Fears, commander of District Six, said, “Too many officers get shot, too many robberies with guns, and a 13-year-old who took his own life was just horrible.”
“There are wonderful people who live in these neighborhoods and make good things happen, so we want to concentrate on them,” Edwards-Fears said.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Deptment forked out $20,000 for the program. And several sponsors jumped on board.
Major sponsors are 100.3 The Beat and CW 11 news.
St. Louis Caring Communities is a sponsor and partner and has co-facilitated several proactive programs in the 27th Ward along with Alderman Greg Carter.
“Having a gun doesn’t mean you’re more safe or can’t get killed, and having gun makes your more prone to shooting someone,” said Alphonso Stamps, longtime 27th Ward resident and program specialist for St. Louis Caring Communities.
“Removing one working gun off the street means one less crime seen on TV.”
Edwards-Fears thinks Fun with Guns’ New Year’s Eve anti-shooting campaign will benefit from the buy-back program.
Adkins said now is also a good time for the program, since police have a gut feeling that certain crimes increase around the holidays.
“We want to encourage people to get rid of guns to save more lives,” Stamps said.