On Saturday, June 4th, 2016, the Fort Myers Police Department will host a Gun Buy Back Event at the Friendship Baptist Church, located at 2030 Palm Avenue. The event times are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This event will provide a great opportunity for citizens to surrender unwanted firearms with “no questions asked” and receive a monetary incentive. The police department will offer $50 gift cards for every functioning firearm turned in. Additionally, the agency will provide $10 gift cards for any non-functioning or replica firearms. Funding for the program was provided by Mayor Henderson and Fort Myers City Council.
Anyone wishing to surrender unwanted firearms is asked to bring the firearms to the event location, between the specified times. For safety reasons, citizens are asked to place unloaded firearms in the trunks of their vehicle before arrival. Do not remove the firearm from the vehicle, trained law enforcement personnel will retrieve each firearm and administer the gift card payments. Citizens will not be asked to provide their names or personal information during the transaction.
The goal of this event is to reduce the number of unwanted and/or unsafe firearms currently in circulation within our community. Further, this event aims to provide citizens with a safe means of surrendering such firearms, while remaining anonymous.
Key Points
- Date – Saturday, June 4th, 2016
- Times – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Location – Friendship Baptist Church parking lot 2030 Palm Avenue Fort Myers.
- Incentive payments – $50 gift card for each functioning firearm and $10 gift card for non-functioning firearms (no payments will be made for BB guns, Airsoft guns, pellet guns, or toy guns)
- Anonymous – Citizens surrendering firearms will not be asked to identify themselves.
- Safety – Please place unloaded firearms in the truck of vehicle, prior to arriving at the event. Do not remove any firearms from the vehicle.
- Media Coverage of Event – Because this event is based upon anonymity, it is critical that citizens be permitted to enter the site and turn over weapons without fear or concern that they will be video-taped by the media. We ask that the media respect the integrity of the event and the anonymity of participating citizens by not video recording individuals entering or leaving the drop off area, without first obtaining their consent. A media staging area will be set up for this event. The Public Information Office will be present the day of the event.
- Questions – Contact the Fort Myers Police Department Public Information Office at 321-7700 or email at fmpdpio@fmpolice.com
UPDATE -June 7, 2016
The police department’s first gun buy back event was very successful and went smoothly. During this event, over 120 weapons were turned over to the police department and over $5,400 in gift cards and currency were paid out.
On Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., the weapons that were turned in will be on display to the media and a brief question and answer session will be held.
On behalf of Chief Eads and the police department, we would like to thank our media partners for assisting in getting this message out to the community.
Jim Mulligan
Captain – Operations Bureau/Public Information Office
Fort Myers Police Department
2210 Widman Way
Fort Myers, Florida 33901