Gun Buyback Program - October 8th, 2022

Westchase Park & Ride METRO

Click graphic above for the full-sized flyer

Due to the highly successful turnout and collection of firearms from the Gun Buyback event held on July 30, 2022, Mayor Slyvester Turner, City of Houston, with Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Harris County Precinct One are pleased to announce their second Gun Buyback event.

In partnership with the Houston Police Department, officers will conduct a Gun Buy Back Operation in the parking lot of the Westchase Park & Ride METRO (Alief) in the heart of the districts of Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas and U.S. Congressman Al Green. Depending on the type of weapon, citizens turning in firearms will be rewarded with a gift card in the amounts from $50.00 to $200.00. All firearms will be retrieved with a no-question-asked policy by law enforcement. Funding for this program was provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

• Community partners for this event are listed here (.png)
• Details from the first gun buyback event are listed here (.pdf)

*Please note that the Houston Police Department are still reviewing and processing firearms to determine if any were used in a crime

Date: Saturday, October 8, 2022
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
Location: Westchase Park & Ride METRO, 11050 Harwin Dr. Houston, TX 77072

Gift card funding:

• $50.00: Non-functioning firearm
• $100.00: Shotgun or Rifle (Hunting)
• $150.00: Revolver
• $150.00: Semi Auto Handgun
• $200.00: Rifle Semi-Auto

THERE WILL BE A 25 FIREARM LIMIT PER VEHICLE ONSITE. ANYONE WITH MORE FIREARMS WILL NEED TO MAKE SEPARATE ARRANGMENTS BY EMAILING US AT COH_POLICING_REFORM@HOUSTONTX.GOV

*Please note that the discretion will be given to the on-site firearms staff to determine the value and amount of the collected item or to reject the item.

FIREARMS DEFINITIONS:

Handgun (Pistol): originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having: a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s); and a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).

Rifle/Shotgun: 

Rifle: Designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger. 

Shotgun: Designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

These include 'complete' rifles and shotguns (AR-15/AK-47/Remington 870/Etc...) This includes semi-automatic or fully automatic (legal definition: machine gun, if you want to place them in the same category) rifle/shotguns.

Semi-Automatic Rifle: Is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger and uses part of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber from a clip or magazine with or without a bayonet lug, with fixed, collapsible, folding stock, buffer tube, or forearm brace, to include AR-15 or AK47 or AK74 pistols and similar model high caliber pistols.  Also including a machine gun (fully automatic rifle or pistol).

Other Firearms: These include items that are state and federally classified as firearms: Lighting links, drop-in auto sears (DIAS), switches (Glock/AR) (These are all regulated under the NFA and are considered machine guns, even though the device itself does not technically fire), and firearm receivers. 

Firearm receivers are generally serialized, these technically do not fire, but are considered firearms: AR-15 lowers/Shotgun receivers. These are from licensed manufacturers and are different from Privately Made Firearms (PMF). These are also separate from billet receivers and "80%" receivers.

Privately Made Firearms (PMF): A firearm, including a frame or receiver, completed, assembled, or otherwise produced by a person other than a license manufacturer, and without a serial number placed by a licensed manufacturer at the time the firearm was produced. (3D printed, Harlots, Liberators, Polymer80s)

UPON ARRIVAL:

Please stay in your vehicle at all times. All firearms must be stored inside the trunk of your vehicle. We will not facilitate in providing a gift card for those who do not follow directions.  Please see the video instructions below:

• Video in English
• Video in Spanish

Click graphic above for a full-sized .pdf version

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. What categorizes as a functioning or non-functioning firearm, rifle, shotgun, handgun and fully automatic rifle? Please see the legal definition of each firearm above.

2. Does the firearm need to be functioning in order to participate? No.

3. May I turn in more than one firearm? Yes, you may turn in as many firearms as possible.

4. May I have someone else drop off my firearm(s)? Yes, however the gift card(s) will be handed over to the resident who turned in the firearm.

5. What type of gift card will i receive VISA

6. How long is my VISA/Mastercard gift card activated for? Each gift card will be active for 12 months before a monthly activation fee begins to be assessed.

7. What are the limits per person for the program? Yes. There will now be a 25-firearm limit per vehicle onsite. Anyone with more firearms will need to make separate arrangements by emailing us at COH_Policing_Reform@houstontx.gov. Please note that the discretion will be given to the on-site firearms staff to the amount of collected items.

8. Will I need to show my ID? No. No identification or Government ID will be needed or shown to participate.

9. Do I need to be a Houston resident to participate? No. No ID is required, so residency will not be checked.

10. Does my immigration status affect my ability to participate? No

11. What happens to the firearms after they are collected? All firearms will be checked to see if they are stolen or used in any crimes. If the weapon is not stolen or used in a crime, it will be properly destroyed by the Houston Police Department. Please file a report with your local law enforcement agency if you have had your firearm stolen.

12. Will I be able to participate by turning in my ammunition? Yes, you will be able to participate in turning in your ammunition, however no monetary value will be given as the gift cards only apply to firearms.

13. Will there a long line similar to the first event? Following the first event, the Houston Police Department have made great modifications to increase staffing and adding three additional lanes for residents to efficiently turn in their firearms.

14. Will ghost guns be accepted? No. Any privately made firearms (PMF) including, but not limited to a frame or receiver, completed, assembled, or otherwise produced by a person other than a license manufacturer,and without a serial number placed by a licensed manufacturer at the time the firearm was produced. (3D printed, Harlots, Liberators, Polymer80s).

For a breakdown of the gun buyback collection of firearms following the event click here (.pdf).

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Office of Policing Reform & Accountability at 832.393.6772 or COH_Policing_Reform@houstontx.gov.