POUGHKEEPSIE – Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) held a gun buyback event that he is calling a”huge success that exceeded expectations”. The event was done in cooperation with the assistance of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and Beulah Baptist Church on Saturday. A total of 65 weapons were surrendered in exchange for gift cards ranging from $25 to $500, depending on the type of weapon turned in.
The event was scheduled to run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. but police officers were forced to turn people away after one hour when they ran out of gift cards. When the assemblyman learned that the funds were depleted, he authorized a staff member to leave and purchase $2,700 in Stop & Shop gift cards to compensate the people who were in the room at the time, and then he ended the event. Jacobson’s buyback event paid more for surrendered weapons in comparison to buyback events hosted by New York State Attorney General (OAG) Letitia James. “I set the rates because I wanted to get more guns off the streets,” Jacobson exclaimed. The OAG’s May 2021 Poughkeepsie buyback resulted in 48 weapons being turned in, while the June 2021 OAG program netted 67 weapons surrendered.
Funded by an Assembly grant of $25,000 and $2,700 of personal funds from Jacobson, individuals who turned in parts for ghost guns received Visa gift cards for $25. Antique firearms were traded for $50 gift cards while rifles were traded for $100 cards. Shotguns were traded for gift cards valued at $150 while assault rifles and handguns were exchanged for $500 Visa gift cards.
Despite the early termination of the event, Jacobson said “Any day we can get guns off the street, it’s a good day.” He also praised Poughkeepsie Police Chief Tom Pape, City of Poughkeepsie Community Policing Division Sergeant Michael Longbard, and the Beulah Baptist Church for their assistance with the event.
“As everyone knows, gun violence rises during the summer months and the number of shootings in the City of Poughkeepsie continues to be an issue of major concern, so I was pleased that so many individuals in our community chose to exchange their guns for gift cards,” Jacobson said.
