Police, Carwash in Orange Plan Gun Trade-In Program

The Police Department and a carwash owner will hook up this weekend to make this city the second in the county to participate in a program that offers a free wash and wax to anyone who turns in a firearm.

On the heels of a similar campaign in Costa Mesa, Orange police will issue a receipt for weapons brought into the police station Feb. 5 and Feb. 12 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The receipt can be redeemed for a $47 hand wash and wax at Metro Car Wash.

The programs in both cities were the idea of carwash owner Frank Bianchini, who has facilities in Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Orange. At the behest of Bianchini, the Costa Mesa Police Department initiated a gun trade-in program three weeks ago, but it has netted only three firearms so far.

Gun buyback and exchange programs have sprung up across the country over the past year. Bianchini said he wanted to create the local programs after learning of one in New York where authorities handed out toys in return for guns.

Bianchini has also contacted police departments in Santa Ana and Huntington Beach to determine if they are interested in starting trade-in programs in their cities.

“The goal is to get as many guns off the street as we can,” said Orange Police Lt. Ed Tunstall. “The guns we’ll get are guns people don’t want. They’re the ones that end up in the wrong hands.”

Police officials say they will adhere to the same procedures during the trade-in as they do when collecting abandoned weapons. Police will check the firearm’s serial number to make sure it hasn’t been stolen or used in a crime.

“We don’t know who is going to turn in guns,” added Tunstall. “It’s a brand-new program and we are anxious to see how it works out.”

The Orange Police station is at 1107 N. Batavia St.