Chicago: Local churches preparing for gun drive

ABC7-TV (Chicago, IL) ^ | 7/20/07 | Ravi Baichwal

[kiriath_jearim]

It is the third such gun-drive that has been put on by the Chicago Police Department's community-based policing section. With a financial incentive and if history is any guide, expect a lot of people to be present at Chicago-area churches Saturday no matter what's being offered for them.

Vance Henry is the civilian head of CAPS, the Chicago alternative policing strategy, and the last time a call for guns to be turned in was made, the police were awash in over 3000 firearms. This will be the third CAPS-sponsored gun drive. Chicago police and community and church leaders are setting up shop at 23 houses of faith to receive the weapons. Depositors will receive a $100 MasterCard gift card in return for each gun with no questions asked. Henry said last time some folks refused to take the money.

"Our aim tomorrow is to get guns off the street," said Henry. "The public has embraced this and it is just a community-based way for the public to work with and support the police dept in an effort to make our neighborhoods."

The temporary depots will be set up in neighborhoods that have seen their share of violence. Reverend Jesse Jackson and former Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams publicized the event this morning on WGCI, which shunned spinning records for a discussion on what it will take to get guns off Chicago streets

At the People's Church of the Harvest in the east Garfield neighborhood they're preparing for an emotional day. They've seen how people in their neighborhood who take this step are doing something close to spiritual

"The return of one gun means that an individual has decided that I will no longer participate in the downgrading or the degrading of my community," said Carolyn Anderson of the People's Church of the Harvest.

[Yorlik803]

More or less..I agree...
I woulld like to see a antique gun go home with a cop than end up in the smelter

[rface]

I have an old Mosin Nagent (sp??) that just doesn't shoot worth a damn. Maybe 1 out of 4 shells has the bullet tumbling .... and who knows where the bullet ends up....... Usually at least a foot lower then the target at 80 yrds....

I'd be happy to get $100 for it.

Too bad this buy-back is all the way in Chicago.... Maybe there's one in St. Louis.

[Yorlik803]

Find a Russian Reenacting unit near you and ask if anyone needs it. Someone will give you 100 because we shoot blanks and it dont matter what condition the barrel is.