Mayor Brown, Comptroller Sanfilippo and Commissioner Gipson Release Gun Buyback Audit Information

 

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown, City Comptroller Andrew SanFilippo, and Buffalo Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson today released the official city audit of Mayor Brown’s “No Questions Asked” Gun Buyback Program, which was held this past Saturday, June 2, 2007 at seven locations across the City of Buffalo.

 

According to the City Comptroller’s office a total of 878 guns were turned in by city residents, who, in turn, received a total of $41,940 through JPMorgan Chase cash cards distributed at each drop-off location.

 

“This effort exceeded all of our expectations and confirmed our belief that this tactic would be useful in removing illegal guns from the streets of our city,” said Mayor Brown. “Prior to the official start of the Gun Buyback, eight illegal guns were turned in at one of the drop-off locations, which showed that residents were anxious to get these guns out of their homes, out of harm’s way and into a safe and secure location. I thank and commend all of the conscientious city residents who stepped forward to turn in these very lethal and potentially dangerous illegal guns.”

 

The overall effort was financed by $30,000 in asset forfeiture funds that have been acquired by the city through the seizure of monies from illegal drug and other criminal activities in Buffalo, as well as a $10,000 contribution from the Erie County Medical Center, which was presented to Mayor Brown by ECMC CEO Michael Young on February 15, 2007 and an anonymous $10,000 donation. 

 

City Comptroller Andrew SanFilippo said, “The gun buyback program was successful in taking more than 800 firearms off the street, and I’m pleased that our office was able to play an important role in ensuring the integrity of the effort.”

 

The comptroller cited the work of Investment and Debt Management Officer Rick Calipari in helping to set up the oversight mechanism on the buyback program, including the cash cards that were used to “buy” the guns, which in the final count totaled nearly $42,000. Comptroller SanFilippo also recognized the work of his department’s audit staff that did the final reconciliation of the buyback program.

 

"To get almost 900 guns in just one day is a real testament to the success

of the program, but more importantly to the citizens of Buffalo,” said Police Commissioner Gipson. “Because of their overwhelming support the Queen City is a safer place today"

 

Buffalo’s program was modeled after several other cities successful gun buyback efforts, particularly the City of Chicago that in two different one-day gun buybacks retrieved over 4,200 guns, including approximately 2,000 guns during that city’s initial gun buyback effort.

 

This initiative is one of several anti-crime measures being implemented throughout the city, including the Buffalo Police Department’s Mobile Response Unit, which was launched on January 14, 2007. 

 

Last year, the Buffalo Police Department took 1,000 illegal guns off the streets of Buffalo and this new initiative was designed to support that continuing Department activity.

 

As stated earlier when Mayor Brown introduced the initiative, the goals for this program are:

“In addition, to the city residents who came forward during the Gun Buyback, and the dedicated city employees of the Buffalo Police Department and the City Comptroller’s Office, I want to thank the leaders of the seven faith-based organizations who opened their houses of worship to this important initiative,” said Mayor Brown. “Their support and participation was critically important to the success of the Gun Buyback, so I want to thank Church of the Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace Christian Church, Primera United Methodist Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, True Bethel Baptist Church, St. John Baptist Church, and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.”

 

Key support for Mayor Brown’s Gun Buyback program was provided by Lamar Outdoor Advertising (provided creative design support along with outdoor advertising locations around the City), the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (posted the Gun Buyback advertisement posters inside all 330 Metro buses, as well as in bus shelters and in rail stations based on availability of space) and Time-Warner Cable (broadcast Mayor Brown’s PSA’s on the initiative). JPMorgan Chase was the supplier of the cash cards that were used in the program.

 

“By conducting this Gun Buyback program, I knew that this single effort will not eliminate illegal guns from the streets of Buffalo, but I also knew that it would provide residents with an opportunity to turn in guns that they would like to remove from their homes,” said Mayor Brown. “As I have stated repeatedly prior and during the Gin Buyback effort, this is just one of several tactics my Administration will continue to employ to make our city safe for all residents.”