NJ gun buyback set for Saturday, county’s first in years

NEWARK — The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Essex County Bar Foundation have announced a one-day guy buyback program on Saturday.

The gun buyback will be held at Bethany Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall at 275 West Market Street. Anyone can anonymously turn in up to three guns, no questions asked, police said. Up to $250 will be paid for each gun. The program will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., rain or shine.

“The leadership of the Essex County Bar Association came to us and offered to fund the gun buyback. The funds needed for this were raised by the Bar Foundation through the generous support of law firms, individual attorneys and others who understand the importance of removing guns from our streets," Acting Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said.

It's one of the first such events in New Jersey to involve law enforcement and a private organization. Newark Police are helping with the collection, valuation and disposal of weapons.

“Gun violence is an epidemic in our society today which we cannot and should not ignore.  Nearly 40,000 people died from guns in the United States last year, the most in 50 years.  The mass shootings are becoming a regular event and that is simply unacceptable," Essex County Bar Association President Gadhok said.

It will be the first gun buyback in Essex County since 2017, when Newark, Camden and Trenton all took part in a two-day gun buyback organized by the Attorney General’s Office. Almost 5,000 firearms were taken off New Jersey streets, surrendered for a total of $481,620.

Under New Jersey law, all weapons being transported to a gun buyback location must be carried unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gun box, or securely tied package, and locked in the trunk of the vehicle in which it is being transported.

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