Cedar Rapids Police Department to host gun buyback

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Police Department is hoping to take more than 30 guns off the street at an upcoming buyback.

The police department will host the Cedar Rapids Taking Aim at Guns - or CR-TAG - program on Sept. 27 at the city's service center, 500 15th Ave. SW. The event kicks off at 10 a.m.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the department will give out $100 gift cards for each gun returned. Based on the $1,700 raised for the buyback, the department initially hoped to buyback 17 firearms.

That all changed Friday morning, though.

'Chief Wayne Jerman got a call from Area Ambulance Director Keith Rippy,” Hamblin said. 'They are going to match that $1,700.”

With $3,400 in donations, the police department now hopes to buyback 34 guns. Jerman has long said that if he could buy back just one gun, he'd call it a success.

For Rippy, the decision to donate to the buyback was an easy one.

'We just think it's a very important and very significant program,” he said. 'We look for opportunities to partner with organizations that are involved in things that meet our mission.”

Rippy said his employees and firefighters are often called to emergency medical situations where guns are present.

'Our people, from time to time, are in harm's way,” he said. 'We thought this would be a real opportunity to help get a few more guns off the street.”

Hamblin called the collaboration with Area Ambulance a 'natural partnership.” Like the emergency medical responders, seeing fewer guns illegally possessed and used would benefit the police department, Hamblin said.

'My goal is to put myself out of business,” she said.

Hamblin said people who drop off weapons will not be questioned and their names will not be taken.

'It's not one of those ‘gotcha' kind of things,” she said.

Just as important as getting guns of the street is the educational component of the buyback, Hamblin said. Gun locks will be available at the event, as well as inventory sheets for firearms in the home.

'I hope we get the guns off the street,” Hamblin said. 'I also hope it's the educational piece, I hope we get people talking. I hope it stimulates conversations at home.”