Fairfield police urge gun turn ins

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (WTNH)-- Following the Newtown tragedy, many police departments in Connecticut have been hosting gun buy-back programs. The goal is to get guns off the streets. Fairfield is one of many towns urging folks to turn in their guns if they don't want them.

Fairfield police Chief Gary MacNamara said, "we want to get the word out that if those tragedies have made you more fearful of having guns in your house, and you don't want them, or relatives have turned them over to you and you don't want them, we are a place where you can turn them in. We'll take them and send them off to be destroyed."

While some cities shelled out cash to buy back guns, Fairfield is not. Police just hope to remind residents that they can always turn in their guns to the police department any time of year.

"I don't anticipate a flood of responses. You can go next door to Bridgeport and get money to turn a gun in. We just want people to realize any police department in state will accept a gun if you don't want it anymore," said Chief McNamara.

New Haven held its gun buy back event this past Saturday. Bridgeport did too and got 104 guns and rifles turned in. The city handed out $13,000 for them.

In Fairfield, a rifle was dropped off over the weekend.

"One gun off the street in the town of Fairfield is a good thing, so the more guns that get turned in the better off we are," said Chief MacNamara.

If you want to hold on to your gun, police recommend a gun lock, which they are handing out during business hours.