HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07162013 - C.85RECOMMENDATION(S):
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the District Attorney, or designee, to conduct a countywide gun buyback program on
August 3, 2013 using approximately $200,000 to buyback weapons from anonymously from County residents at
several sites around the County, including the Antioch/Brentwood area, the Concord Pavillion, and in Richmond.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact. The District Attorney hopes to raise as much as $200,000 from donations and will also have some
funds available from our Asset Forfeiture Special Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Recent events like the school shooting in Sandy Hook Connecticut have increased awareness in our nation about the
prevalence of guns in our society. Contra Costa County is no stranger to gun violence as we have seen many gun
related deaths, especially among our youth. Many crimes are committed with handguns that are stolen in home
burglaries, and many accidental discharge incidents occur in homes where unwanted guns are stored. Part of the
mission of the District Attorney's office is to enhance public safety and we believe this buyback program will allow
citizens
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 07/16/2013 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Cherie Mathisen
957-2234
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board
of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: July 16, 2013
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
C. 85
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Mark Peterson, District Attorney
Date:July 16, 2013
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:District Attorney's Proposed Contra Costa County Gun Buyback Program
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
to turn in unwanted guns thereby helping us to achieve our mission.
We are currently seeking donations to fund the program. We have already received generous donations from
Chevron, Tesoro, Conoco-Phillips, and Shell Oil Company. We will use these cash donations to purchase gift cards
from local businesses so that citizens turning in guns for payment will be able to redeem the gift cards locally. The
District Attorney’s Office will also use funds from our asset forfeiture proceeds to help fund the program. We
anticipate running the program in three locations: the Antioch/Brentwood area, the Concord Pavilion, and Richmond.
Our target date for the program is August 3, 2013.
The program is based on a “no questions asked” approach where citizens are allowed to turn in guns anonymously
for payment. Citizens will paid up to $50.00 in gift cards for return of any operable rifle or shotgun, $100.00 in gift
card for any operable handgun, and up to $200.00 in gift cards for any operable assault weapon. The emphasis of the
program is to reduce the number of guns out on the street or readily accessible to those who may not be competent or
trained in their use. Therefore, the police will not generate a report or run any person for warrants. All serial numbers
of firearms collected will be checked to see if a firearm has been stolen. Any stolen guns will be returned to the
rightful owner if possible. All other guns collected will be destroyed.
Several other agencies that have recently conducted successful gun buyback programs include: Marin County, the
City of Pittsburg, and Santa Clara County. We have commitments from several police agencies in each of the
supervisorial districts that have volunteered to host and run collection sites for the gun buyback program. The Chiefs
of the Richmond Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, San Ramon Police
Department, Concord Police Department and Martinez Police Department have all committed to participating in the
gun buyback program.