Police Offer $50 for Unwanted Guns

Police volunteers from El Monte will help collect guns Saturday during the city’s third buyback program.

Residents of the city are asked to trade unwanted firearms for $50 and a sense of community support, said Ken Weldon, a Police Department spokesman.

“The people who turn in guns are mostly responsible people--a lot of seniors,” Weldon said. “We target people who have old guns lying around the house. Those people could be victimized or burglarized and have those guns stolen.”

During the program’s first campaign in 1993, the department took firearms from anyone and collected 303 guns. But the next year the program was advertised only to El Monte residents and 65 weapons were collected, Weldon said.

All weapons brought to the buyback at the rear of the Police Department, 11333 Valley Boulevard, will be melted down.

People interested in participating who do not want to bring in their guns can call (818) 580-2110 between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to have a police officer pick up and buy back the gun at their home. Others should bring their weapons to the police station between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.