Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Video from today’s event in Honolulu, pictures from the Waianae location event, and sound from DLE Director Jordan Lowe in Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/cvo9ydse7i76i7bsuf3p2/h?rlkey=kjohth7sllh16b5kpiprlv6fk&dl=0

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOKŌ KĀNĀWAI

 

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOPALEKANA LEHULEHU

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

JORDAN LOWE

DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

 

TOMMY JOHNSON

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 21, 2023

 

OʻAHU COMMUNITY GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM OFFERS GIFT CARDS FOR GUNS

 

HONOLULU – In an ongoing effort to protect Hawaiʻi residents from gun violence and keep communities safe, the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) and Department of Public Safety (PSD) partnered with the Office of the Governor, the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, and the Honolulu Police Department to host a community gun buyback event today on Oahu, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This one-day initiative featured two simultaneous gun buyback locations including the Kinau Hale (DOH) Parking Lot on Punchbowl Street and the Department of Transportation Waiʻanae Corporate Base Yard on Farrington Highway.

 

Individuals who turned in the following firearms were provided with compensation in the form of Foodland gift cards:

 

• $200 Foodland gift card for automatic firearms of any type, semi-automatic rifles, ghost guns.
• $100 Foodland gift card for handguns, rifles, shotguns, bump stocks, Glock switches

 

There was no limit on the number of firearms turned in, but individuals were limited to receiving a maximum of three gift cards total. The locationsaccepted both working and non-working firearms and also offered gun locks for anyone who didn’t wish to turn in a gun, but still wanted to make their firearms safe.

 

“This initiative is part of a larger effort to combat gun violence and promote safe neighborhoods across Hawaiʻi,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D. “I am proud to be working with our law enforcement agencies to expand this program statewide.”

 

“This buyback program is just one way we are working to make our community safer. By turning in unwanted guns, it may help save a life and prevent a future crime from being committed,” said Department of Law Enforcement Director Jordan Lowe.

 

“This is an important community safety initiative that will help get guns off the streets and out of reach of people who should not possess them,” said Public Safety Department Director Tommy Johnson.

 

“Firearm violence is a public health concern and is the leading cause of death for children nationally. While Hawaiʻi has a low rate of firearm injuries and deaths,  one out of 10 homes has a gun, and, last year, four children had non-fatal injuries and three children died from firearms,” said State Director of Health, Dr. Kenneth Fink. “Safe storage of firearms at home–such as by storing guns unloaded and separate from ammunition; securing in a locked gun vault, safe or case; and using locking devices such as cable-based and trigger locks  ̶  can reduce the risk of firearm–related assault, suicide, and unintentional harm to children. Not having guns in the house is even safer for children. The buyback program, which will have free gun safety kits available, is an opportunity to reduce the number of guns in homes and reinforce safe firearm storage to help keep our keiki safe.”

 

Future gun buyback events are being discussed with county law enforcement partners statewide. Plans, including dates and locations, are part of those discussions and will be determined at a later date.

 

This Oʻahu Gun Buyback initiative was funded in part through the Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement and by a Federal Housing and Urban Development – Project Safe Neighborhoods grant. The DLE contributed $45,000 and $45,000 was obtained through the federal grant.

 

This is an amnesty program, in which no questions will be asked about the person dropping off the gun(s). No identification will be required. Licensed gun dealers and active/retired law enforcement individuals are not eligible for participation. On-site officials reserve the right to refuse acceptance of firearms or issuing of gift cards.

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Media Contact:

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of Public Safety &

Hawai‘i  Department of Law Enforcement
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
[email protected]
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