The following is a letter sent from Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Police Commissioner William B. Evans to the city’s 8,000 registered gun owners.
In addition to reminding gun owners to secure their firearms, the authorities tout their gun buyback program called “Your Piece for Peace,” which promises to give a $200 gift card to anyone who turns in a firearm.
Last year, the “Your Piece for Peace” recovered a total of one unwanted firearm.
We write today to ask for your continued assistance in our effort to reduce illegal gun crime in the City of Boston. Police serve an important role in reducing gun crime, but more can be done with your help.
As a legal gun owner, it is important that you also do your part to ensure that guns are stored safely, and kept out of the hands of children and criminals.
As we are sure you are aware, there were some very important changes to the gun laws in Massachusetts last year. As partners in keeping the neighborhoods safe we want to bring to your attention your obligations as a gun owner, and ask for your cooperation in keeping guns in the hands of only those legally authorized to carry them.
Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, should you decide to sell or transfer your gun, you must receive approval of the sale / transfer through a web portal developed by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services. You can access the Massachusetts Gun Transaction Portal at mass.gov/eopss/firearms-reg-and-laws/frb. The portal will, among other things, verify the identity of both buyer and seller, and ensure the sale/transfer complies with the law. Please ensure that these simple steps are followed when transferring a firearm so that all guns are properly accounted for. Additionally, the law mandates reporting to both local law enforcement and the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services when a legal gun is lost or stolen, and the law has increased the criminal penalties for failure to report a lost or stolen gun. All lost or stolen guns must be reported through the portal, and a report must be filed with the Boston Police Department.
To assist you in better securing your gun(s), we are also offering you a free gunlock, or locks depending on how many guns you may have. If you would like a gunlock or advice on proper on storage of guns and / or ammunition, please call the Boston Police Department’s Licensing Division at (617) 343-4425.
Additionally, the Department has recently re-launched the “Your Piece for Peace” gun buyback program. If you need to dispose of a firearm, you can do so safely and confidentially at any district station, and receive a $200 gift card. For more information on this important program, please see the enclosed informational pamphlet.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation with this vital mission. It’s with your partnership we can together continue to prevent gun violence in the City of Boston.
Free gun locks? 1000 people saying they have 100 guns x $2.50 a lock = $250k. Turn around sell those on eBay and buy better guns. My two cents
So sad to see Boston reduced to this…where is the Boston that stood up to the Redcoats?
Yes, trust the government to protect you and look out for your best interests, just ask the American Indians how that idea went over for THEM????????
“our effort to reduce illegal gun crime”
I’m curious, perhaps someone can set me straight.
What exactly does LEGAL gun crime constitute?
Some may think this nit picking, but this IS the level of stupidity we are dealing with here.
I grew up in Massachusetts and shot on the high school Rifle Team. Went in the service and came back “home” to visit. I found that I could not even look at a gun if I didn’t already have a permit–and that wass 35 years ago! For years there have been large signs as you enter the state proclaiming Mandatory Prison Sentence for bringing a firearm into the state. One of the many reasons that I returned to the West coast and finally settled in Washington State. Seattle, in particular, is starting to get really crazy about gun ownership. At least a law-abiding citizen can pass a background check and obtain a Concealed Carry Permit and purchase a firearm and take it home after passing NICS screening.
Just remember folks, the Supreme Court has ruled that the police DO NOT have a responsibility to protect you. I do believe this also extends to 911 dispatchers.
SUPREME COURT RULING: Police Have No Duty To Protect The General Public
Posted on January 31, 2013
The court has kept this stance for over 30 years.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that police officers at all levels of the government have no duty to protect the citizens of this country.
It is the job of police officers to investigate crimes and arrest criminals.
We are on our own for protection.
Read more at http://savingourfuture.com/2013/01/supreme-court-ruling-police-have-no-duty-to-protect-the-general-public/
Now James, please don’t try to confuse the Lefties with facts and logic, it makes ’em mean! 🙂
These left wing politicians just don’t understand the vast majority of the people in this country do NOT trust them. The so-called Republicans barely register to the right of center. They were elected to run both Houses of Congress to counter balance the extremist in OUR White House. They have not done anything to stop him. If he was a white man, he would have been impeached a long time ago with all of this ” I got a pen and I got a phone” bullshorts. If Americans would just get out and vote for real and positive change instead of the lies of hope and change from the left wing, we may still be able to get this ship on an even keel.
The less a government knows about your gun ownership, the better you are. Guns, money, property, etc., I will not comply. I only answer to my wife and the tax man and I know how to stay away from both.
Yep, Sheeples one and all………..All DEMIDIOTS
In a land of 90% Dems, why does this nonsense not surprise me? With 30 years of stats that prove that more guns equals less crime, why can these morons not understand that their ridiculous position on guns is wrong? Because morons are unable to learn? Guess so.
And who will guarantee that peace? The government? LOL! The government will investigate your death after the punk down the street breaks in your home and shoots you dead with his illegal gun right after he rapes your wife in front of you. Government investigates crimes AFTER THEY HAPPEN! They take criminals off of the street AFTER THEY COMMIT A CRIME. Do you want to volunteer yourself or your family for their first crime?
THE BRITISH ARE COMING!!! TOO ARMS!!!
If all of the law abiding citizens turn in their guns then only cops and criminals will have guns. How would you stop an unruly cop or criminal from robbing you, or worse?
What a rather reprehensible city and State. Relegate Boston to the dustbin of history.
Bring your guns to me. If I want em, I’ll give you $250…… in cash. Plus you’ll have the satisfaction in knowing that your firearm will be appreciated and used in good health by my family and I on outings which reinforce safe gun handling skills, development of discipline, and accountability for actions, especially the kids, in a positive setting. These values are what keeps children safe when they encounter firearms in other less than optimal situations. My kids will know what to do, and keep others kids safe as well. But if you want some idiots who have a political agenda to take your guns and crush them instead, go right right ahead by all means. But don’t you dare tell me you’re part of the solution. Because you had a chance to pass on an American tradition of safety, marksmanship, respect for our 2nd Amendment, a knowledge and skill set that will benefit recipients for their whole lives. Instead you chose nonsense and destruction.
LOL! Good one KD! 🙂
I’m positive all MS 13 gang members, inner city drug runners and various violent criminal enterprises will be jumping at the chance to comply…
Turning in your guns because there are too many guns “out there” is like castrating yourself because the neighbor has too many kids.
“in order to deter crime, a criminal has to be afraid of the consequences of their actions.” YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD HERE, BROTHER!!! That’s a large part of where we have gone wrong in our country. Failure to properly enforce!! Jail shouldn’t be looked at as a social club…..its a punishment…..punishments have to be feared in order to have any effect. The Demo-Libs have taken all that fear away. And shame on us for letting them. Bring back capitol punishment to include repeat violent offenders. You will see crime drop!
And the first consequence they should be afraid of us getting shot! Good people responsibly armed= criminals afraid of consequence= deter crime; to bad they don’t teach that kind simple math in schools these days.
Keep your guns & you can keep your own peace.
I saw this article and thought “score.” I have a piece of crap old Jennings .22 pistol that does not work at all. Hey, if I lived in Boston, I would have no problem turning it in confidentially and getting $200.00 for it. Heck, if someone was smart who lived in Boston, they’d go elsewhere and buy broken junk guns for a few bucks and turn one in at a time and get $200.00 each. Otherwise, why would someone want to turn in a working firearm unless they would make more money off turning it in and getting the gift certificate? Also, I wonder if the gift certificate is good at a sporting goods store that sells firearms? 🙂 What a novel idea. Turn in your old crappy gun and get a gift certificate that can be used at any store in Boston. I’m sure that the gift certificate is only good at certain places. This program has been used in other cities and almost all of the guns that were turned in were pieces of junk, not working and only worth their weight in scrap metal. It’s not going to get the working illegal firearms off of the streets. There’s too much of a demand for them. Also, on the anonymous turn in program. Well, I’m sure that all of the district stations that you turn them in at have surveillance cameras inside and outside their stations/facilities. Not too anonymous when you are getting your picture taken and maybe even your license plate recorded too. I’m not being paranoid since I was in law enforcement and know how the anonymous thing goes. Take a surveillance picture of someone and run it through the state drivers license picture database and other databases using the FACES program. Voila, now you not anonymous anymore. Same thing on the license plate with the exception that you just run it through the state it was issued from. Have fun on wasting more of the hard earned dollars from the taxpayers on a program that will not make a difference whatsoever. If the justice system and the government wanted to really make a difference and stop gun related crimes, all they need to do is to enforce the gun laws that are already in place. Commit a crime with a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, etc. should equal heavy prison time and punishment instead of the numerous slaps on the wrists that are given instead. For the most part, in order to deter crime, a criminal has to be afraid of the consequences of their actions.
I thought the same thing. I have an old, broken (technically, it will still operate as a single action) .22 mag that I would gladly give up for $200 if I lived there.
How confidential is it if they give u a gift card I’ll bet they want your name to put on the card plus it’s so hard to own any guns there legally y would they jump thru all those hoops just to get robbed turning it in lol