'Get the guns off the streets': Freehold gun buyback coming after big Asbury Park haul
FREEHOLD - After a successful event that netted the highest number of firearms in more than eight years, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has partnered with Bethel AME Church to host a second gun buyback program this coming Saturday.
People can anonymously surrender firearms and receive cash in exchange from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bethel AME Church on Waterworks Road in Freehold Township.
"We want people to feel comfortable. No one is going to question you. We just want to get the guns off the streets," said the Rev. Ronald L. Sparks, pastor of Bethel AME Church, who advocated for having a buyback in the western side of Monmouth County.
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The Freehold buyback will offer $250 each for assault weapons, $100 each for handguns and $25 each for shotguns and rifles. There will be no cash compensation for ammunition, replica guns, or BB and pellet guns.
All weapons must be transported to the gun buyback safely, unloaded, in a secured box or carry case, or with a trigger lock.
Officials from the prosecutor's office said they were game to partner with Bethel AME after hosting a successful gun buyback in Asbury Park on Oct. 23 that collected more firearms than at any point in more than eight years.
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In all, officials collected 360 firearms at the Asbury Park buyback, including 159 handguns, 133 rifles and shotguns, and three assault weapons over about eight hours.
"Those results illustrated obvious and robust interest in the availability of such programs, and we are pleased to offer yet another chance, on the other side of the county, for individuals to safely and anonymously rid themselves of unwanted firearms in exchange for cash," Acting Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Michael Wojciechowski said.
The success of the Asbury Park buyback prompted Sparks asked a simple question: Wouldn't it be great if we could have one here?
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While those outside of western Monmouth County might not see a need for a gun buyback in Freehold — an area that trends more affluent than other parts of the county — Sparks sees it a different way.
Not all residents in the western side of Monmouth County have the resources to make it to an event in the eastern part of the county, Sparks said. Or they might not have the time to make the trip, which can be a half hour or more one way.
But they may have a firearm in their home — perhaps from a relative who has passed away — that they no longer want. Sparks said the event isn't geared toward gun enthusiasts, who he said already know how to safely store and dispose of firearms.
"Regardless of the income level, I want to make sure those who need to be able to get services have services made available to them," he said.
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Susanne Cervenka covers Monmouth County government and property tax issues, winning several state and regional awards for her work. She's covered local government for 15 years, with stops in Ohio and Florida before arriving in New Jersey in 2013. Contact her at @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Freehold NJ gun buyback coming Saturday to Bethel AME Church
