Gun Buyback Program Set in Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS — The Palm Springs Police Department has organized a “Gun Buyback Program” for Feb. 22 from 10 a.to 4 p.m. at the Palm Springs Police Department, 200 S. Civic Drive, Palm Springs.

The Gun Buyback Program will reward the voluntary surrender of firearms while engaging our community towards a common goal of reducing gun violence. It is an anonymous process where individuals can surrender firearms, no questions asked.

Firearms brought to the police department should be unloaded and transported in the trunk or rear area of the vehicle. There is no limit to the number of firearms that can be turned in by individuals. Persons will be given a gift card up to $100 for handguns, up to $150.00 for shotguns and rifles, and up to $250 for semi-automatic assault rifles.

Once a firearm is surrendered to the Gun Buyback Program, it becomes property of the Palm Springs Police Department and will not be returned. The surrendered firearms would be taken into the Property Room at the police department and scheduled for destruction.

For those that plan on participating in the program, please stay in your vehicle until approached by a PSPD representative. For more information, please contact the Palm Springs Police Department Public Information Office at 760-323-8106.

The Cathedral City Police Department held a similar Gun Buyback Program in December 2018. More than 50 guns were relinquished to the Cathedral City Police Department during the voluntary effort. Handguns amounted for almost half of the guns turned in and rifles amounted for the other half.  At least two “assault-type” rifles – as classified by the State of California – were turned in.

According to the Congressional Research Service, there are roughly twice as many guns per capita in the United States as there were in 1968: more than 300 million guns, just shy of being enough to arm every man, woman and child in the country.

The United States is the world’s leader in gun-related deaths. In December, the CDC published data showing 38,658 gun deaths for 2016, including suicides. The number of gun deaths recorded by CDC researchers has increased for two consecutive years.