The Santa Barbara Police Department said their recent gun buyback was a success. It’s an event where community members can surrender firearms they no longer want and receive a $100 gift card in exchange. The program is part of a wider strategy to reduce gun-related risks like violence and accidents.
Sergeant Ethan Ragsdale from the Santa Barbara Police Department says people turned in 137 firearms during the buyback event on May 20th. It was a variety of guns both legal and illegal, including homemade weapons as well as vintage models from bygone eras.
“This gun buyback program is to have people in the community turn in any unwanted firearms that they have, maybe in their closets or from a relative or a deceased relative, so we can get those unwanted guns off the streets,” he said.
Ragsdale said the buyback is anonymous. There are no questions asked, and no personal information is required to participate.
“The only thing we do is run the serial number through the federal database so that we can determine if the gun is actually lost or stolen and can be returned to the owner, but that is the only check,” Ragsdale said.
He said the surrendered firearms are promptly sent off-site and destroyed.
This was the first buyback event in Santa Barbara since the pandemic, and it’s not clear when the next one will be. But Ragsdale said it could become an annual event if the City Council continues to support the program.
In the meantime, he said you can always turn in unwanted firearms at the police station.
“Anybody at any time can surrender a firearm to any law enforcement agency or department,” he said.
Ragsdale said community members can relinquish firearms at the station during regular office hours. He said guns must be unloaded and secured in the trunk of a car. An officer will retrieve the firearm from the vehicle and have it destroyed.
For community members that do own firearms, Ragsdale’s message is one of safety and responsibility.
“Please be responsible with your firearms and make sure that they are locked and secured. And most importantly, we do not want any children getting a hold of these firearms,” he said.
For more information contact the Santa Barbara Police Department.
