Question: I heard there is going to be a gun amnesty but I didn’t catch the details. Is this true? Can you please inquire for more information?
Answer: Yes, law enforcement officials will collect unloaded guns — no questions asked and no ID required — in Honolulu and Waianae later this month, said Jordan Lowe, director of the state Department of Law Enforcement. People who turn in guns will receive Foodland gift cards, he said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Ammunition will not be accepted.
The gun buyback program is scheduled for Oct. 21 (a Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1250 Punchbowl St. in the parking lot of the state Department of Health, and at 85-630 Farrington Highway, the state Department of Transportation’s Waianae Corporate Base Yard.
The unloaded firearm must be in a container or box in the vehicle’s trunk. An official will retrieve the gun from the trunk and the person turning it in will stay in the car.
A person can turn in as many unloaded guns as they want but will receive a maximum of three Foodland gift cards. The plan is to give one gift card per gun, up to that limit.
>> $200 gift cards will be given for automatic firearms of any type, semi-automatic rifles and ghost guns.
>> $100 gift cards will be given for handguns, rifles, shotguns, bump stocks and Glock switches.
Licensed gun dealers and active and retired law enforcement officers aren’t eligible to participate.
This is the first such event in more than 20 years on Oahu. There will be more, including another buyback on Oahu next year and “we’re also planning for the neighbor islands,” he said.
“It’s to provide an avenue for people who own guns they no longer want. They might have inherited a gun or acquired it but they don’t want it anymore and they want to make sure it’s safely disposed of,” he said.
The guns collected will be destroyed, if they were not reported stolen. Authorities will attempt to return stolen guns to their rightful owners, Lowe said.
“We’re hoping for a good turnout. If we can reduce the availability of guns that can be used in crimes that would be great,” he said.
Gun owners who want to keep their firearms also have something to gain from the Oct. 21 events, as gun locks will be distributed for free, he said.
By making it easy for people to safely get rid of unwanted guns and giving away gun locks to other owners, authorities can reduce the number of weapons that end up being used in crimes or tragic accidents, advocates say.
The gun buyback program is being organized by the Department of Law Enforcement, in concert with state and county law enforcement agencies, the state Transportation and Health departments, and the governor’s office. DLE was established last year by a state law that is splitting the Department of Public Safety into separate agencies — the DLE and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (renamed from PSD). The law says the separate departments are to be independent and fully operational by Jan. 1, 2024.
Q: Some time ago you printed where to get various forms, like for a state ID and other things. It was a long list of forms. I misplaced the information. Please repeat.
A: Go to the city government’s main website, honolulu.gov, hover on “Hot Links” and then click on “Forms.” You’ll see links to forms from many departments and agencies.
Auwe
I was driving behind a gray Honda Civic with an illegible license plate. Somehow it recently got a new safety inspection decal. I also notice so many new Tesla vehicles without front license plates. Guess they can get away with it for two years until the first safety inspection. — G.Y.
Mahalo
Many thanks to the lovely young person who helped me when I lost control of my shopping cart in the parking lot of the Kapahulu Safeway. He saved me having to write a note of apology by catching the cart before it dinged a car near mine. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
