Hamilton Police announce gun amnesty results

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Hamilton Police have wrapped up a firearms amnesty, and they’re showing off what’s been surrendered: 152 guns, 159 long guns, and 49 handguns, now in the hands of police, and not out on the street.

Acting Inspector Paul Evans says “one crime gun off the street would be fantastic, and that’s a success, I’d say 150 would be a tremendous success.” But Hamilton Police aren’t pretending that it’s violent criminals turning in their guns.

Of the approximately 150 guns that the police brought in, most are legal; but many are simple modifications which make them illegal. What police want to do is take all of these guns out of the hands of potential criminals who could break in and steal the guns later. So cutting down the potential pool of guns helps, because it happens more than you might think.

“Anywhere from 40 to 80 guns are stolen a year through break-ins.”

The number is below last year’s amnesty which pulled in 374 guns, and well behind 2006 when over 1200 guns were turned in.

This year’s amnesty comes in the wake of a summer that saw a number of shootings — including two daylight shootings and the killing of Shareek Douse, 18, at a housing complex on MacNab St. Police Chief Glenn De Caire and mayor Fred Eisenberger announced the amnesty back in September. “It’s not the only solution to the issue of gun play and guns in our community.”

Ward three councillor Matthew Green agrees that 150 guns off the street is a success but wishes we had gone further, with a gun buy-back program. “I still felt that we had a chance to bring in substantial numbers of weapons with just a bit of a financial incentive.”

A similar program was used in Toronto where they traded guns for cameras back in 2013. The result was 458 guns turned in.