TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Just recently, the Big Bend Crime Stoppers has invested around $20,000 to help promote their new Ceasefire program which is aimed at making arrests of anyone carrying, or using, an illegal gun.
Looking at some programs that have been used to help curb violence in Tallahassee, gun buybacks have been hosted across the city over several years.
In a study that will be presented to Leon County Commissioner on the effectiveness of gun buyback programs, some numbers have shown that programs like these may not have the desired outcome police departments would like. Some cities like Baltimore saw a 50% increase in gun-related crimes in communities where a gun buyback took place.
However, when it comes to tools that have seen an impact, Crime Stoppers has taken 16 guns off the street in the past three years through their regular tip lines.
With their new program Ceasefire that's partnering with the Leon County Sheriff's Office to take illegal guns off the street, offering $1,000 dollars for people reporting illegal guns that lead to an arrest, the organization has already helped recover three illegal guns.
"It's important in the sense that we just have to keep at it, we can't give up on our young people, our community, our desires to do something about the growing, growing numbers that each week that we are all just horrified," said Big Bend Crime Stoppers Director Sharon Ofuani.
Leon County Commissioners are going to be hearing a report on the results of gun buyback programs at their next County Commission meeting on Tuesday.
