Ottawa police not participating in fed’s gun buy-back program

Ottawa Police Service and its board decided the force will not participate as a designated collection site in the federal government’s gun buy-back program.

In a release dated March 2, Marty Carr, vice chair of the Ottawa Police Service Board, said that the responsibility of the agency is to focus on policing in the municipality.

“After careful review, the Board and the Service agree that participating would place undue strain on the police resources dedicated to core policing duties,” Carr said. “Preventing and reducing violent crime continues to be an ongoing strategic and operational priority, and this includes a focus on gang activity and seizing illegal firearms in our 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.”

Chief Eric Stubbs echoed the sentiment, saying that police do support the “efforts” to reduce gun-related harm in the city and the goal of the program.

“At the same time, decisions like this have to be grounded in what can be delivered safely and consistently,” he said. “Based on the assessment of the program’s requirements, OPS is not in a position to take on the additional responsibilities without impacting core policing priorities.”

The federal government asked policing agencies across the country to participate in its Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program by working with RCMP members at collection units in the city.

Officials in the nation’s capital said they looked into the program’s requirements, like the appointment-based collection, the long-term secure handling, admin work and system access and concluded it was not a level Ottawa police could resource. It notes that ongoing staffing pressures and the operations needed to assist with the program were the main concerns.

“The assessment also identified significant implementation requirements related to systems access, workflow integration, training, and administration,” the press release reads.

Police also noted that although it is not participating, it does continue to offer options for people to safely surrender through its own program that does not provide compensation.

People looking to surrender guns in Ottawa can:

• Call the Ottawa Police non-emergency line at 613-236-1222 (option 1, then option 2) to speak to someone to have the firearm picked up.
• Follow the instructions Police will provide on how to safely surrender the firearm, including whether an officer pickup or another coordinated process is required.
• Never bring a firearm to a police facility without prior instructions.

Declaration period running until March 31

Owners of banned firearms will have until the end of March to declare interest in a federal program offering compensation for turning in or permanently deactivating their guns.

Since May 2020, Ottawa has outlawed about 2,500 types of guns, including the AR-15, on the basis they belong only on the battlefield.

The government says compensation will be determined primarily on a first-come, first-served basis.

Prohibited firearms and devices must be disposed of — or permanently deactivated — by the end of an amnesty period on Oct. 30. The government says anyone in possession of a banned firearm or device after the amnesty period will be breaking the law and could face criminal prosecution.

Almost $250 million has been earmarked to compensate people who take part in the program by turning in their firearms or having them deactivated by a certified gunsmith. The government anticipates the money will cover compensation for about 136,000 firearms.

Firearm rights advocates and the federal Conservatives have denounced the program as a poor use of taxpayer dollars targeted at law-abiding gun owners.

With files from Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press.