Toronto Police have collected over 550 firearms as well as over 10,000 rounds of ammunition during the city’s latest gun amnesty program, Pixels for Pistols.
Initiated by the Toronto Police Service in partnership with camera retailer Henry’s, the Pixels for Pistols program hopes to help end gun violence by removing and disposing of firearms in exchange for a digital camera.
Sergeant Chris Boddy of the Toronto Police Service’s community mobilization unit says the program will proved people with an outlet to dispose of any firearms in a secure way.
“The focus is on legal gun owners who have had these guns in their homes for years and years and have no use for them, never plan on using them and don’t know how to get rid of them and think they’ll get in trouble if they call the police,” Sgt. Boddy said.
In celebration of Henry’s upcoming 100th anniversary, Henry’s along with Nikon will give people who turn-in a qualifying firearm a gift card for a new Nikon digital camera.
Eleanor Rehak, 74, recently turned in two 1921 Winchester hunting rifles. Her father used the rifles for hunting during the Depression. Handed down to her after her mother died, Rehak kept the rifles in a storage cupboard wrapped in plastic and an old army blanket.
“I had them hidden away fairly well but I just didn’t want to keep them anymore,” Rehak said.
Rehak, a grandmother to three boys with ages ranging from seven to 11, Rehak didn’t want the rifles to fall into their hands.
“I’ll be 75 in January and one of these days I might kick the bucket and I don’t want the kids near the guns,” Rehak said.
Rehak, a Don Mills area resident heard about the program through her grandson.
“My grandson wanted a camera so that pushed me to hand them in,” she said.
Although Rehak’s rifles didn’t qualify for a camera gift card she is happy to have them out of her house and out of her hands.
Sgt. Boddy stressed that this program will help take guns out of people’s homes and away potential criminals as well as potential
The program runs until Nov. 23, 2008. For more Information visit: www.henrys.com/pixelsforpistols/