As Santa Barbara County’s District Attorney, I’ve heard many false claims about gun buybacks. Some include: gun buybacks are a waste of time and money; gun buybacks don’t work — the only guns that are brought in aren’t operable; gun buybacks are a way for law enforcement to trap people who possess guns unlawfully or possess a gun that has been used in a crime; and, gun buybacks are a way for do-gooders to feel good!
I offer my responses: No. No. No. And Yes!
On Saturday, August 21, 2021, Santa Barbara will be hosting its 6th Gun Buyback at the Earl Warren Showgrounds from 8 a.m. until noon. The past gun buybacks are the brainchild of Toni Wellen of the Coalition Against Gun Violence and supported by the Santa Barbara Police Department. For years this life-saving event was pushed aside by myths and misconceptions like the ones above.