Residents turn in 380% more guns than last year during 2019 amnesty program: Peel police

The streets in Peel Region are a little safer, thanks to the results of a month-long gun amnesty program.

Peel police announced in a press release on Tuesday that residents in the region turned in 129 guns and 269 pounds of ammunition during this year’s spring gun amnesty program — a markup of 380 per cent from last year, which only saw residents turn in 34 guns and 80 pounds of ammunition.

Interim Peel Regional Police Chief Chris McCord said he is pleased with the program’s success.

“Removing unwanted firearms from circulation ensures that they will not get into the wrong hands and be used in criminal activity,” McCord said in a release. “I would like to thank the residents of the Region of Peel for their co-operation and participation in this program. Their support enables our vision of a safer community together.”

The program, which spanned the month of May, gave community members the opportunity to voluntarily surrender weapons and ammunition, including both unwanted legal and illegal firearms, without the threat of criminal charges.

That pardon excluded people, however, who intended to turn in weapons that have been used to commit a crime. No anonymous submissions were accepted, either.

The guns, which were collected from 52 homes during this amnesty, will join the 121 guns already seized by Peel police this year.

Peel police say that though the 2019 gun amnesty program is complete, they will continue to collect unwanted guns and ammunition for destruction and urge interested participants to contact 905-453-3311 to arrange for pickup.