Since January 2017, Silicon Valley Community Foundation has worked with San Jose Police Department to fund programs and tools designed to engage communities in direct conversation with law enforcement.
In partnership with the San Jose Police Foundation, SJPD is hosting a gun buy back event on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, from 9:00 AM- 1:00 PM, at the San Jose Police Substation located at 6087 Great Oaks Parkway in San Jose.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 300 million guns in the United States, or a gun for every household, and a study from the University of Washington recently reported that the United States has the second highest rate of gun-related deaths in the world.
SJPD, the San Jose Police Foundation and the City of San Jose are hosting this event in an effort to reduce gun violence and prevent suicide in Silicon Valley. Removing guns from homes and destroying them is the best way to ensure that they cannot be stolen and used in a crime, and helps make guns less accessible to people with suicidal thoughts.
Representatives from the SJPD Crime Prevention Unit and the District Attorney’s Office will be on hand, distributing gun safety literature, mental health information and gun locks. People will have the opportunity to anonymously trade in handguns, rifles, shotguns and assault weapons in exchange for cash. SJPD will provide cash in return for each gun, offering up to $100 for handguns, shotguns, and rifles, and up to $200 for assault weapons. The “no questions asked” structure of the event allows participants to remain anonymous.
“We’re really proud to support the San Jose Police Department’s gun buy-back program. We have partnered extensively with the department, supporting its efforts around community engagement, data and transparency. This is one more step the department is taking to create a safer San Jose for all,” said Gina Dalma, SVCF’s Vice President of Government Relations
The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles has joined the effort and will provide a comfort quilt in exchange for firearms, while supplies last.
While the primary purpose of the Gun Buy Back is to take guns out of circulation, additional objectives include educating the public on gun violence, preventing suicide, and deepening the connection between police and the communities they serve.
During the event My90 survey cards will be provided to participants to allow them to report how the SJPD serves their community and provide feedback to the department.
“We need to continue to work to build strong relationships between communities of color, youth and law enforcement. These trusting relationships are and will continue to be the building blocks for a safer and stronger San Jose,” said Dalma.
According to SJPD, previous gun buy back events collected approximately 1,370 weapons, and two similar events in the North Bay recently collected approximately 990 weapons.
SJPD would like to thank donors, including SVCF, and the San Jose Police Foundation who support this event.