Posted on 08/01/2012 4:57:20 AM PDT by marktwain
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office will hold the county’s first gun buy back on Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Town Center.
“This is a no questions asked–amnesty opportunity for anyone to turn in unwanted, operational firearms,” Fleming said.
Individuals will receive a $50 gift card for each firearm turned in, up to a maximum of three. Additional guns will be accepted, but gift cards will be limited to three, while supplies last. Other weapons, such as knives, swords, brass knuckles, etc., will also be accepted.
The program is being funded through a $7,000 crime prevention grant award by the Flagler County Commission. Businesses wishing to donate gift cards should contact Capt. Lynne Catoggio at (386) 586-4805.
Those wishing to turn in their guns should drive to the north side of Central Park at Town Center. A drive-through station will be set up and deputies will come to the vehicles. Guns should be unloaded and stored in the trunk area or bed area of trucks. Participants must not leave their vehicles.
For those who wish to discard guns but are unable to drive to the site, deputies will come to your home during this period and pick up the weapons. Arrangements may be made by calling (386) 313-4911.
The proposal drew skeptical responses from Fleming’s opponents in the sheriff’s race. Fleming is running for re-election in the Aug. 14 primary.
“Gun buy-back programs may be popular in communities and are designed to give the impression that law enforcement is doing something about illegal guns,” John Pollinger, one of Fleming’s two Republican opponents, said. “No one with the intent on committing a crime while armed is going to surrender that firearm in exchange for a gift card. In addition, buy-pack programs such as these encourage citizens to otherwise keep firearms they no longer want or need in the hopes in the future, government is going to provide some type of compensation or reward in exchange. I would rather see the $7,000.00 in taxpayer money used for educational and diversionary programs for the youth in Flagler County to discourage them from obtaining any illegal gun in the first place.”
To Karl Tozzi, one of two Democrats running against Fleming, the program is the program is “an excellent way of getting weapons off the street.”
“The only problem I see,” Tozzi said, “is that we should not cap the quantity of guns per person nor should we have a cap on the number of funds we are allocated to take the weapons of the street. If you are going to start a program like this for the first time in our county, we must have adequate funds to assure that the program works and gets all the guns possible in one fell swoop. We certainly don’t want people walking away with unsold guns in there trunks because we ran out of gift certificates.”
All four of Fleming’s opponents were given the chance to address the buy-back program.
“This is the first time we have offered a gun buy back in Flagler County and I think it will prove to be a valuable service to our residents,” Fleming said. “The more guns we take out of the community, the less opportunity there is that one of those may be used in a crime I encourage folks to take advantage of this opportunity.”
As an additional service, Sheriff Fleming has ordered a prescription drug take back during this event. Gift cards will not be distributed, but residents may drive through the appropriate station where unwanted prescription drugs will be accepted. Needles in Sharps Containers will also be accepted as part of this operation.
Private sales and purchases for cash are perfectly legal in Florida, as they are in most states.
>> unwanted, operational firearms
That right there is the mother of all oxymorons.
Make it $5000 and I’ll buy a few throw-downs and bring them down there!
>> “The only problem I see,” [Karl Tozzi, one of two Democrats running against Fleming] said, “is that we should not...have a cap on the number of funds we are allocated to take the weapons of the street.”
ROFLMAO! Is that a perfect example of how ‘rats think about government money, or what? No cap on outgoing funds! We’ll run the printing presses all NIGHT if need be!
My grandfather’s 12 gauge is worth more than a $50 gift card. It’s worth more than any monetary gift to me.
Hey sheriff, I’ll give you 50 bucks for that .45 you got there on your hip.
That depends on what the manufacturer’s definition of “operational” was - something like a Jennings .380 is likely to blow up in your hand if you fire it. :P I wouldn’t want one. :P
This doesn’t sound right?It looks like they will destroy these working firearms to keep them out of circulation.Every time a working firearm is destroyed,think of it as one of your RIGHTS being rescinded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL! Darn! You beat me to it!
I believe that you are mistaken. If the gun was found to be stolen, you would be required to return it. I have never seen anyone prosecuted for mere possession of a gun that turned out to have been stolen, when they otherwise bought it legally. How could you know it was stolen or not?
I would have not had any problems with buying guns on the free market.
Many of the pre-1968 rifles and shotguns do not even have serial numbers.
Oh I don't know about that. I have an Omega .22 Saturday night special from the 1960s. It shoots, but if I lived near Flagler County or was viviting Flagler County, I would make a point of sell that little POS to the Sheriff. Fifty bucks? $50.00? Maybe not. Never mind.
Do they take any gun?
I’m sure I could make several crude zip guns in my garage for a lot less than $50 each, and I doubt anyone is going to want to test them to make sure they’re “operational”.
In the state of Florida, if you are in POSSESSION of a stolen or serial removed gun, you are liable. This was covered with great emphasis in the CCW class I attended.
What you do is to collect the serial number off the gun and ask to have the numbers run before finalizing the deal. Simple as that. Every officer has access to the database on his mobile computer.
Rifles and shotguns I cannot answer to but handguns do have serials. I have a S&W 32 revolver manufactured in 1912 that has a serial. Any M1A/M14 has a serial.
The point was be careful and cover yourself. If buying from an individual make sure you get an ID like a DL and then go to the police to have the serial checked.
They might as well put up a big sign - Notice to all burglars, these pansies will be unarmed upon exiting the parking lot and most will be headed directly to their unsecured residences.
Shot someone with that gun last year?
Tired of hiding it in your closet?
Well Hell Bell’s give it to the Police and get a gift card!
(“The only problem I see,” Tozzi said, “is that we should not cap the quantity of guns per person nor should we have a cap on the number of funds we are allocated to take the weapons of the street. )
This is the problem you see? Nothing else?
Going through life stupid must be a bitch.......
On another note. Marines make deal for Colt 1911’s.
Mazda77 wrote:
In the state of Florida, if you are in POSSESSION of a stolen or serial removed gun, you are liable. This was covered with great emphasis in the CCW class I attended.
Marktwain replies:
Certainly, if you are in possession of a firearm whose serial number has been removed, you have legal problems.
This is not the case if you are in possession of a firearm that you obtained under the reasonable belief that it was legal to do so.
I have taught CCW classes for over 15 years, and it is not unusual for people to mistakenly put out misinformed opinion as if it were the law.
Here is some light on Florida law from a police officer forum:
“I work as an LEO in a low income area and have been dealing with a surge in bike thefts (not motorcycles) among other things recently. I’m looking to add another tool to my belt and start taking individuals who are ridding these bikes to jail. As we all know you can’t take someone to jail for a misdemeanor (not an exception) that does not occur in your presence (i.e. the original bike theft). Unfortunetely, the victims are claiming their bikes are only worth $150 (not that magic felony number). I’ve tried reading the 812 statues and can’t find any penalty for possession of stolen property. According to 812.022 the criteria appears to meet what I’m look for (but no penalty is listed). Maybe I need glasses, but if anyone could help it would be appreciated.”
http://forums.officer.com/t148911/
There is considerable discussion after this request, but it comes down to the fact that you cannot prosecute someone for merely possessing a legal object that they reasonably thought they obtained legally.
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