Comment: ‘It is Not the Job of the Police to Get Rid of Unwanted Weapons’

Despite the Westminster police chief's support of a voluntary gun turn-in program, the town's Common Council rejected the idea, with one councilman saying the program amounts to "going down the whole gun control path."

Patch readers had a variety of reactions to the rejection of the voluntary gun turn-in program, which we highlight below.

Do you think the Westminster Common Council did the right thing? Tell us in comments.

 “These type of events make good press--pictures of piles of guns turned in--but they don't actually solve any problems. People just get rid of rusty old guns they had lying around in basements that they wanted to get rid of anyway. Few if any people turn in actual working guns, and I doubt any criminals are suddenly overcome with remorse and turn in a gun they would have used in a crime.” - Kathy 

“I don't see any difference in this and other county events where we collect hazardous materials like old paint, oil, solvents, etc, in order to give people an easy means of disposing of something that would be hazardous to keep around or dispose of another way...” - Kay

“It is not the job of the police department to get rid of unwanted weapons. It's not the job of the State either...it's the responsibility of the gun owner, and the vast majority of gun owners are very responsible human beings. Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing..” - Buck Harmon

“It's a volunatry program. No one is forced to do anything. Voluntary turn-in programs at least get some guns off the street. It's better than doing nothing. However, nothing seems to be the mantra of the Republican party these days.” - David J Iacono

“Wow, we definitely live in the old west here. A voluntary program to turn in their guns is 'shot' down by the leaders of Westminster. All I can say is if the chief of police says it is a good idea to have fewer guns lying around that could be used in a robbery or shooting and this would prevent this, let the turn in happen and reward the people who wish to turn them in. This not something required, it is voluntary. Lets start using 'Common Sense.' - Thomas Crandall

See related links: 

Westminster Leaders Reject Voluntary Gun Turn-In Event as Gun Control

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