Got guns? Waterloo Regional Police gathers unwanted firearms
Till the end of the month, police are calling on the public to turn in their prohibited weapons for safety.
Waterloo Regional Police are once again collecting unwanted firearms, with an amnesty program for people who bring in unlicensed weapons.
The program runs the full month of November.
"Most of the calls we've been receiving from the community are from people who have inherited these firearms or have been willed these items," said Michael Haffner, inspector with the WRPS.
The region's firearms and prohibited weapons amnesty program has been running since 2015. This year, police have gathered a total of 22 firearms, including nine shotguns, eight rifles, and five handguns. They've also collected 1100 rounds of ammunition, seven pellet guns, and a conductive energy weapon.
"It's a good opportunity to get these items off the street and dispose of them to protect our community," Haffner said. "We don't want them to be in bad hands to commit further criminal offences."
After collecting a firearm, police identify the weapon by scanning the serial number and doing a background check.
Haffner said police still have 18 appointments to visit people for collections this month.
Although the program ends in November, Haffner said he wants individuals to continue calling police when they come across unwanted weapons.