Drop Box

[runco]

Can I put a similar drop box at my curb? 

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/09/worth-shot-tacoma-mulls-gun-drop-boxes/?intcmp=hpbt2

 

Worth a shot? Tacoma mulls gun 'drop boxes'

 

Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell has supported the proposed project for an anonymous drop box to get guns off city streets. (City of Tacoma)

 

Gun control advocates in Tacoma, Wash., are thinking inside the box -- literally -- with a controversial proposal to set up a gun "drop box" to encourage residents to turn in firearms, no questions asked.

The city of 203,000 has similar collection boxes for drugs, and officials say a secure, steel box can help get guns off the streets without subjecting nervous citizens to police interaction.

 

"The main intent and goal is just to get these weapons off the streets," Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell told the The News Tribune, stressing that the program is still in its planning stages.

“Are we really expecting these people to walk down the street to this dropbox, with the gun tucked in their shorts, and drop it off? It doesn’t seem to me to be a thought-out process as off right now.”

- Sgt. Jim Barrett, the president of the Tacoma Police Union

Dubious critics say a box full of guns could prove tempting to criminals -- and that's if people actually took the city up on the offer.

"In other news: New Gun store for criminals opens in Tacoma called: The Drop Box," one person tweeted.

 

Tacoma Police Union President Sgt. Jim Barrett doubts the boxes will get much use.

"Are we really expecting these people to walk down the street to this drop box, with the gun tucked in their shorts, and drop it off?” he asked. "It doesn't seem to me to be a thought-out process as of right now."

A host on KIRO's "Tom and Curley Show" agreed.

"We have this need in the community to have a place where people can innocently drop guns in boxes," he continued. "Can you imagine someone walking up to the box -- right? -- look around and the put the gun in there? Can you believe anyone would do that?"

 

While the drug boxes are free-standing, one police official theorized that guns could be passed through a slot on the side of a building and deposited in an inaccessible area. Melissa Cordeiro, a city gang reduction project coordinator, told KIRO Radio that the guns could be placed into the box and at some point "law enforcement would swing by and pick it up out of the drop box."

The proposal follows similar attempts by cities to get illegal guns off the streets, including gun buyback programs. Cities across the country have offered residents cash,  bikes and even jobs in return for handing over a firearm.

George Mason University economics professor Alex Tabarrok said those programs have been proven ineffective, and he predicted the same result for a drop box scheme. Anyone in the port city who wants to get rid of a gun discreetly, Taborrok said, has an easy option: toss it in Puget Sound. 

 

City leaders out to reduce the number of guns on the streets largely have their hands tied, said Taborrok. Any historic gun decline in a city would only come after new gun-control policies from Washington, D.C. He said city mayors' best tool to keep crime down in a city is to increase police patrol.

"Any funds you'd use in programs like these buybacks would be much better served by adding an additional police officer," he said.

 

In November, Washington state passed new gun laws that call for universal background checks for all sales, including those made online or at gun shows. The measure has exceptions for emergency gun transfers concerning personal safety, gifts between family members, antiques and loans for hunting.

 

A federal judge in May threw out a lawsuit challenging parts of the new law that expands background checks on gun transfers, saying gun-rights activists couldn’t challenge it because they aren’t being prosecuted for violating it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

[vontar]

1.  If anyone actually uses it, I hope the gun is checked to see if stolen and returned to the rightful owner before they destroy them.

[nightrunner]

I don't think you could make the container secure enough. I mean, a box full of guns? Come on! That's begging to be freed from captivity lol

[10-Ring]

Why would you put it in a drop box for free when you can get a $50 gas card with your stolen gun?

[TNWNGR]

Political pandering pure and simple with no thought on the civil liability of what the knuckleheads are talking about.

[DaveTN]

Do they really think people are thinking “Gee, if there was just somewhere I could drop this gun off anonymously”?
Reminds me of the saying “Being stupid should hurt”.

[EssOne]

Welcome to Liberal Land. It's Washington State, and in Seattle composting is mandatory and the city can go through your trash at the curb to see if you're throwing anything away that should be composted. If so they write you a ticket. In Portland, they can go through your trash to see if you are discarding something that should be recycled, and........you guessed it. If so they write you a ticket. I'm not surprised that they actually think the gun box is a good idea.  

 

Washington and Oregon invented "liberal", and while I doubt that they invented "stupid", I'm quite sure they were among its earliest proponents. California Is a conservative paradise compared to those two nuthatches.

Edited September 9, 2015 by EssOne

[bigun]

Rob a store and get rid of your gun right outside. :wall:

[VERO1]

This idea pretty much pegs the "Dumbassometer"!

[gjohnsoniv]

Man, that makes it so much easier than going to the river to chuck a gun.

Morons.

[gregintenn]

Isn't this what river bridges are for? :shrug:

 

I swear I'm not getting any smarter, so the people in charge of government surely have to be getting dumber. :screwy:

[nightrunner]

Man, that makes it so much easier than going to the river to chuck a gun.

Morons.

Yeah but then the government doesn't have quick access to them. And I'm not believing that they don't both sort through them and take out the ones they want and sell the rest or at least some of them.

[gjohnsoniv]

Yeah but then the government doesn't have quick access to them. And I'm not believing that they don't both sort through them and take out the ones they want and sell the rest or at least some of them.

Clearly I was being sarcastic but I totally agree with you. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if this goes forward and some of the guns got stolen/sold from the box.

[Ray Z]

I would feel a lot better about this if the guns that were turned in were checked for stolen then put up for auction. With the winner filling out a 4473 and the proceeds from the auction going to the department. That could only be a win-win situation. The owner got rid of the unwanted gun, the department got well needed funds, and then the registered firearm was owned by legal citizen that wanted it. This way the police would not be the anti gun enemy here.

[EssOne]

Maybe this Washington State Law will help: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.41&full=true#9.41.098

 

You may have to hand select section 9.41.098 as the link only wants to go to the index. If it takes you to the index, just click on the section and it will come right up. It's only one page.

 

Please note that where the law authorizes the Washington State Patrol to auction firearms and keep some of the proceeds, that means the Department may keep the funds, not an individual officer.

Edited September 10, 2015 by EssOne

[nightrunner]

Clearly I was being sarcastic but I totally agree with you. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if this goes forward and some of the guns got stolen/sold from the box.

I didn't mean to single you out only the popular and common sense notion that it's easier to get rid of one by throwing it in the river. And the reason for the drop boxes isn't to get rid of guns it's for the police benefit in one way or another.

[Ray Z]

I guess I must not have said that right. I would like the department to keep the proceeds and purchase equipment with them. Lord only knows that the LEO's shouldn't have to go the city counsel and beg for equipment when the counsel is thinking about the next city sponsored vacation. 

[Ray Z]

I didn't mean to single you out only the popular and common sense notion that it's easier to get rid of one by throwing it in the river. And the reason for the drop boxes isn't to get rid of guns it's for the police benefit in one way or another.

I have seen pictures of the guns that the buy back programs have collected. Pristine Colt Pythons, War relics that were still in cosmoline, M-1 Carbines in unbelievable condition, just to name a few. All slated for the scrap furnace.

[nightrunner]

I have seen pictures of the guns that the buy back programs have collected. Pristine Colt Pythons, War relics that were still in cosmoline, M-1 Carbines in unbelievable condition, just to name a few. All slated for the scrap furnace.

Slated. But I bet they never made it. Just sayin

[gjohnsoniv]

^This.

Whelp. The comment before mine. Edited September 10, 2015 by gjohnsoniv

[EssOne]

I'm embarrassed for any police official who does something this laughable with a straight face. I'll bet the Chief can't wait to get home to his liquor locker every night.

[TNWNGR]

On a tagentially related line of thought I wonder how many here have ever seen a Singer 1911? Or turned one into evidence after charging the owner?