County Law Enforcement Agencies Join Forces for Gun Buyback

The New Jersey Attorney General, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office and other area law enforcement agencies will offer a gun buyback amnesty program this week that will allow county residents to turn in their unwanted guns to the police with no questions asked.

According to a statement from the prosecutor's office, the initiative is designed to remove dangerous weapons from the streets. The program will accept firearms from residents—even juveniles—without requiring the disclosure of names or other personal information.

The gun buyback is scheduled for Friday, March 15, at St. Paul Inside the Walls, 205 Madison Ave., in Madison, and Saturday, March 16 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church at 70 Maple Ave. in Morristown.

The event on both days runs from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

According to the statement, interested residents may surrender their firearms at the event on a walk-in basis. Detectives from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and officers from the Madison Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the Morris County Park Police will be on hand to collect the weapons and deal with administrative paperwork.

This Gun Buyback Amnesty Program shall be conducted within the parameters of the New Jersey Attorney General's 1994 Guidelines for Voluntary Firearms Surrender 

Those returning their guns will receive cash in exchange:

Participants are encouraged to surrender unloaded weapons wrapped in paper, tied with string or tape and transported in a box or container. Concealed carry is not permitted.

Residents are allowed to turn in as many weapons as they like, however, they will not be compensated for more than three weapons.

The statement adds that law enforcement officers and licensed firearms dealers are not eligible for the gun buyback.

The event is the result of a partnership between Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, Madison Police Chief Darren Dachisen, Morris County Sheriff Edward Rochford, Morris County Park Police Chief David Wieland, Morris County CrimeStoppers Chairman John Sette and the Morris Area Clergy Council.

For more information, call Det. Keisha Higgs of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6268 or send email to khiggs@co.morris.nj.us.