Residents received up to $250 reward for turning in unwanted guns.
Union County, NJ – Union County’s 2021 Gun Amnesty Buyback event was a success, with residents turning in more than 525 unwanted guns in exchange for rewards of up to $250.00 per weapon. The countywide event was held on Saturday, October 23, at locations in Elizabeth, Plainfield and Westfield.
No questions were asked, and guns in any condition were accepted.
“I want to thank all of the residents who participated in the event as well as the law enforcement officers who worked to create a safe environment for those returning guns,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “We hope this event raises awareness about the importance of getting unwanted guns off our streets and out of our neighborhoods.”
“Dedicated collaboration between state, county, and local organizations made Saturday’s three gun buyback events a success,” said Union County Prosecutor William Daniel. “The enthusiastic participation of community members highlights the importance of fostering relationships between law enforcement agencies and the citizens we serve, as we work towards our common goal of safer communities. We look forward to hosting more events in the future.”
“Gun buybacks are an important part of the gun safety toolkit, along with reasonable, common sense regulations that reduce the threat of gun violence and prevent criminals from accessing guns,” said Commissioner Sergio Granados, the Chairman of the Commissioner Board’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. “This was a collaborative effort and I want to thank everyone involved.”
The Union County Gun Amnesty Buyback program was supported by the Union County Board of County Commissioners and sponsored by the Union County Prosecutor and the Union County Sheriff with the Union County Division of Police and the police departments of the cities of Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Westfield.
For questions about the buyback event, call the Union County Department of Public Safety at 908-654-9816.
For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
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