NEW YORK—State Sen. Malcolm Smith announced implementation of the P-3 Gun Buy-Back Program from the steps of City Hall on Father’s Day. P-3 refers to the public-private partnership between the city and the private sector.
“Saturday you heard about eight individuals who were shot in Brooklyn, and from last week until now, there were a total of 14 shootings in New York. Obviously we have a challenge,” Smith said.
Smith recalled that he had discussed the gun buy-back initiative with the Manhattan district attorney’s office and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and found out that there were no public funds available for it. With the establishment of the collaborative effort, however, different sectors such as banks, the clergy, and the law enforcement have chipped in to reduce illegal firearms on the streets.
“In prior years it was government resources that were utilized to drive guns off the streets,” Smith said. “These programs have been successful; Bronx has a buy-back program that brought close to 300 guns off the streets. However, we are now in different times. We are now in very economically challenging times.”
Smith said that with the summer underway, more children and, unfortunately, more guns are expected on the streets. One-third of the gun possession cases last year involved defendants who were minors, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
“What we’re providing is the resources,” Smith said. “According to data tables regarding crime in the United States prepared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York state had the third-highest total for gun-related murders in the country as of earlier this year. In addition, murders at the hands of guns account for more than 60 percent of all murders in New York state.”
The gun buy-back prices range from $20 to $200, depending on the types of guns; the amounts have been set by the district attorneys and the NYPD. The donations collected from the different organizations will go through the NYPD Foundation to fund gun buy-back programs throughout the city. Programs in which the illegal firearms can be traded in for cash, with no questions asked, have been carried out in the city since 2008.
Michael Mulgrew, president of the Union Federation of Teachers, was at the press conference on Sunday. He said that a program like this is necessary and very effective and that the union’s board has signed on with no hesitation.
“You have the business communities here, you have the clergy here, you have unions here, [and] you have elected officials here all saying that we have to step up in tough times and do more to ensure safety,” Mulgrew said. “We’re looking to partner with anyone who is trying to do things that will help children.”
Norman Seabrook, president of the NYC Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association said that his organization will go a step further and urge the district attorneys of New York to ensure that being caught with an illegal firearm would mean an automatic prison sentence of seven years.
“[There is] no room for plea bargaining, getting out of jail, or paying your way out. If we do [enforce a seven-year sentence], then one who wants to surrender their weapon will surrender their weapon and see currency for it. And the ones who don’t will stay in jail for seven years,” Seabrook said.
“Saturday you heard about eight individuals who were shot in Brooklyn, and from last week until now, there were a total of 14 shootings in New York. Obviously we have a challenge,” Smith said.
Smith recalled that he had discussed the gun buy-back initiative with the Manhattan district attorney’s office and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and found out that there were no public funds available for it. With the establishment of the collaborative effort, however, different sectors such as banks, the clergy, and the law enforcement have chipped in to reduce illegal firearms on the streets.
“In prior years it was government resources that were utilized to drive guns off the streets,” Smith said. “These programs have been successful; Bronx has a buy-back program that brought close to 300 guns off the streets. However, we are now in different times. We are now in very economically challenging times.”
Smith said that with the summer underway, more children and, unfortunately, more guns are expected on the streets. One-third of the gun possession cases last year involved defendants who were minors, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
“What we’re providing is the resources,” Smith said. “According to data tables regarding crime in the United States prepared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York state had the third-highest total for gun-related murders in the country as of earlier this year. In addition, murders at the hands of guns account for more than 60 percent of all murders in New York state.”
The gun buy-back prices range from $20 to $200, depending on the types of guns; the amounts have been set by the district attorneys and the NYPD. The donations collected from the different organizations will go through the NYPD Foundation to fund gun buy-back programs throughout the city. Programs in which the illegal firearms can be traded in for cash, with no questions asked, have been carried out in the city since 2008.
Michael Mulgrew, president of the Union Federation of Teachers, was at the press conference on Sunday. He said that a program like this is necessary and very effective and that the union’s board has signed on with no hesitation.
“You have the business communities here, you have the clergy here, you have unions here, [and] you have elected officials here all saying that we have to step up in tough times and do more to ensure safety,” Mulgrew said. “We’re looking to partner with anyone who is trying to do things that will help children.”
Norman Seabrook, president of the NYC Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association said that his organization will go a step further and urge the district attorneys of New York to ensure that being caught with an illegal firearm would mean an automatic prison sentence of seven years.
“[There is] no room for plea bargaining, getting out of jail, or paying your way out. If we do [enforce a seven-year sentence], then one who wants to surrender their weapon will surrender their weapon and see currency for it. And the ones who don’t will stay in jail for seven years,” Seabrook said.
