NEWBURGH- An amnesty program where gun owners can exchange firearms for merchant gift cards continued in the City of Newburgh on Saturday. State Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson, along with members of the city police department, hosted the afternoon exchange at the Newburgh Activity Center off Washington Street over the course of five hours. Individuals came by and dropped off a combination of rifles and handguns with most saying they were exchanging their firearm because they no longer had any interest in keeping it. Jacobson, himself a Newburgh resident, said the program is another step towards ensuring a safer community.
“This buyback program is a pure amnesty program where no questions are asked. We don’t care where you came from and we’re taking in all kinds of guns,” Jacobson said. “There are too many guns on the street. The more we can get off and the more people turn in, the safer things will be.”
Those who participated in the program received up to $400 for assault weapons, $300 for handguns and $200 for rifles and shotguns. Limits per individual do apply. Jacobson said his office is coordinating another gun buyback exchange in Poughkeepsie later this month. City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey stopped by the exchange with fellow city council members Robert McLymore and Giselle Martinez. All three agreed that the program, which has run for about five years in Newburgh, is another step in making the city safer.
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