Ontario’s firearms amnesty is designed to gather unneeded or unwanted firearms to keep them from falling into the wrong hands.
Since April 1, residents able to call Peterborough and area police and ask them to come and pick up firearms they have no need for.
City of Kawartha Lakes Police report they have picked up a quantity of ammunition, as well as five rifles, five shotguns and a .45 calibre semi-automatic pistol. Across the province, so far 267 guns have been turned in to the OPP.
OPP Sgt. Peter Leon says that’s not all.
“We’ve seized almost 5,200 pieces of ammunition. Some of this ammunition is hollow-point in nature, which is a very dangerous type of ammunition for anybody to get into their hands. So we are very encouraged by the results part way through.”
Sgt. Leon said those with unwanted firearms should make an appointment for police to come and pick up the items, rather than bring firearms or ammunition to the police. He says people seem to be adhering to this.
“It’s about getting firearms that aren’t being used, that aren’t required or needed or firearms that people have and just didn’t know how to properly get rid of,” Leon says.
Getting the unwanted weapons into the hands of law enforcement, which can then oversee getting them properly destroyed, will keep them from falling into the hands of criminals, Leon adds.
Even after the amnesty ends at the end of April, Leon says residents should always contact police to deal with unwanted firearms or ammunition.
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