Miramar offers gift cards for guns

MIRAMAR —As President Joe Biden targets gun violence in the wake of mass shootings across the country, Miramar city officials say the time is right for a series of gun buyback events.

The Guns for Funds program is offering gift cards of $100 for each handgun and up to $150 for each rifle or shotgun three Saturdays in April with no questions asked.

“We want to make sure that folks, no matter where they are from, can turn in their guns,” said Miramar City Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis. “The last [event] was in 2019 and we took about 100 guns off the street.”

Organizers also paid out about $4,000 in gift cards for exchanged firearms that year.

No identification will be necessary, and there is no limit to the number of guns each person can hand over, said Assistant Police Chief Leonard Burgess.

“We would rather have them turned in than run the risk of them being stolen and ending up in the wrong hands,” he said.

The Broward Sheriff ’s Office and the City of West Park are also participating in the program.

Broward Crime Stoppers is providing some of the funding.

Guns will be accepted in exchange for gift cards on Saturday at Calvary Fellowship Church, 2951 SW 186th Ave. in Miramar.

On April 17, guns can be turned in at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, 8005 Miramar Parkway.

On April 24, the buyback is at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 2000 S. State Road 7, all between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“The timing is good,” Davis said. “People are in tune with maybe we have too many guns on the street.”

For information, call 954-602-4000 or go to MiramarPD.org/gunsfor funds.