Police loading up for gun amnesty program running through April

THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE and municipal police services are holding a gun amnesty program during the month of April.

The gun amnesty is for any Ontario resident who wishes to voluntarily surrender unwanted or illegally-owned firearms, weapons, accessories or ammunition, providing citizens with a safe way to surrender weapons and enhance public safety, police say.

During the amnesty, police will not recommend weapons-related Criminal Code charges that might otherwise apply to people who are turning in these items. Police note no amnesty is offered for people who turn in weapons that have been used in the commission of a crime. No anonymous submissions will be accepted.

Interested gun owners are strongly urged to call the OPP (or their local police service’s) nonemergency number at 1-888-310-1122 to arrange for officers to attend and safely retrieve the weapons. Gun owners can also use the OPP website button – www.opp.ca/gunamnesty – or the Citizen Self Reporting tool to notify police.

Police warn that guns should never be delivered directly to police facilities.

“Ontario has seen an increase in break-and-enter incidents where firearms are stolen or targeted by criminals. The OPP and our participating police partners are giving people a safe way to dispose of weapons, imitation weapons and related equipment, accessories and ammunition to reduce the number of guns in their communities,” said OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes in a release.