About $13,000 in gift cards were provided in exchange for 87 firearms during last Saturday’s inaugural firearms exchange event hosted by the Bellevue Police Department.
Saturday’s exchange event gave community members the opportunity to turn over their unused firearms in exchange for a gift card provided by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Each individual had to show proof of residency in either Bellevue or King County in order to participate in the program.
Bellevue Police held this exchange in an attempt to prevent future firearm incidents across King County. For example, investigators confirmed the suspects involved in the strong-armed robbery case from January 10 used stolen firearms to commit their crimes in Bellevue. The department also believes this event will contribute meaningfully to community safety by reducing the risk of accidental discharges, theft, or misuse of unsecured firearms.
“We often say ‘it all counts’ in law enforcement, and the impact of Saturday’s firearm exchange is paramount to our ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence and strengthen community safety through prevention,” said Wendell Shirley, Chief of the Bellevue Police Department.
The Bellevue Police Department will now explore dates for a future firearm exchange event. Any additional opportunities will be posted on the department’s social media handles (@BVuePD) or on the Bellevue Beat Blog.
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